New Beginnings
by Shining Friendship
Summary: AU s9 - After being exposed to Black Kryptonite, Davis is separated from the beast that has haunted him his entire life. Does this mean he can finally have the happy ending with Chloe he's always wanted? - Chlavis w/ Chlod, Clois, Dollie, Kimmy & Zess
1. 8x22 Rewrite: Human

**Title: **New Beginnings

**Couple: **Chloe/Davis

**Rating: **PG-13 (T)

**Summary: **AU "Doomsday" -- After being exposed to Black Kryptonite, Davis is separated from the beast that has haunted him his entire life. Does this mean he can finally have the happy ending with Chloe that he's always wanted?

**Author note:** Okay, first off, I have to say what a terrible episode I thought "Doomsday" was. It was without a doubt the worst season finale in SV history and the worst writing I had ever seen on the show, period. Everything the writers did in this whole episode was totally whack. They completely ruined Chlavis, killed off Jimmy and Davis, brought Zod back, made Clark leave all his loved ones because he finally came to realize that his human side was "bad," and—God, I think I could go on ranting forever, which goes to show how much I really hated this episode. Anyways, this is my first AU fanfic, so please be nice! It basically starts off at the beginning of the Jimmy/Chloe/Davis Watchtower scene from "Doomsday," but with a much happier Chlavis ending to it in my story. :) I hope you enjoy!

**Chapter One:** Human

* * *

_**Doomsday.**_

That was definitely one word which could describe the mass chaos Chloe Sullivan had been through in the last day. After running away from Smallville with Davis to save him from his destiny of killing her best friend, this is where their journey had led them: Davis lying unconscious on a small cot in an abandoned tower located in the outskirts of Metropolis. The beast was gone, separated from his body by the only thing on this planet that could break the curse he's had to live with his entire life: Black Kryptonite. If everything went as Clark had planned, Doomsday was now buried one mile underneath the earth's surface—hopefully out of their lives forever this time—after the explosives detonated inside the LuthorCorp geothermal facility. As she watched Jimmy examine Davis, Chloe silently prayed to God that Clark was all right.

Although he was not a trained professional in this field, only having his certified CPR card, Jimmy made his diagnosis on the former paramedic's condition: With the exception of a few scrapes and bruises, Davis should be just fine. "He's gonna be okay."

"Thank you," she said in a light and calm matter, yet after they came out of her mouth, the words just seemed too small. A simple "thank you" could never suffice the appreciation that swelled in her heart. No, Chloe couldn't thank Jimmy enough for helping them out; she was so grateful to him and all he had done. But deep down inside she had to admit to herself that it was still awkward to be around her ex-husband after their rough divorce. She could still remember those horrible e-mails he sent to her; she could still hear his angry voice while he yelled at her not to call him anymore; she could still feel the door being slammed in her face at his new apartment in Metropolis after her attempt to mend their broken relationship when they first separated. Even though Jimmy had been right about Davis and his killings, he hurt her. He chose to cut her out of his life without listening to a single apology or explanation, and she had moved on. Slowly at first, heartbroken by the reality of it in the first few weeks but did nevertheless, for time eventually heals all wounds.

"Clark said you'd bring us somewhere safe," she said, deciding to switch the subject. Taking another look around the tower, this amazing watchtower, her gaze was quickly transfixed on the stained-glass window in front of her. With the early sunrise seeping through, the colors were so beautiful...like something out of a dream. "What is this place?"

Standing up, Jimmy turned around to face her more properly. "It's a wedding present." Realizing he spoke in present tense, he corrected himself. "Well, it was. I was gonna give it to you after the reception, but—"

Chloe turned her head and stared at him in utter surprise. "My wedding present?"

He walked closer to her as he looked around at his unfinished project. "It needs some work, I know. But so did we." The blonde couldn't help but give him a small, sympathetic smile. "I just—I saw us here, you know? Starting our life together. Taking something that the rest of the world had forgotten about and making it ours."

Frozen on the spot, the ex-reporter from the _Daily Planet_ didn't know what to say to that. Jimmy's wedding present was so thoughtful, absolutely beautiful, and something she would have loved to work on with him—building a home of their very own as they built their life together. It was almost like a fairy tale wish come true.

_Almost_.

Why? Because she was no longer Mrs. James Olsen...and that was his choice. Maybe he wanted to get back together with her now that they were both almost on the same page with everything that had happened to them in the last year, yet none of that really mattered anymore. True, Chloe could not deny the fact that she still had some feelings for Jimmy—how could she not after marrying him? But they were divorced and she was with Davis now, even if being with him hadn't been easy. There were some nights when Chloe stayed wide awake, wrapped up in thick wool blanket while staring through the dirty window in the rundown motel room they were staying at for the night, questioning whether or not she had made the right decision by leaving with Davis to save him from the beast and protect Clark from their Kryptonian destinies of one day killing each other. However, she also understood it wasn't Davis' fault that he was born carrying a monster inside. She saw the good in him—the side of Davis that wanted to save people as a paramedic, the side of him that was funny, gentle and kind. And now that he was finally separated from the beast...wasn't it possible that Davis could still be the same man she was instantly attracted to when they first met in spite of her impending wedding? With that thought, Chloe made another silent prayer to God.

"Jimmy..." she breathed out slowly, "what you've done here is amazing. I love it and I can't believe you did all this for me as a wedding present, but—"

"But what?"

"This doesn't change what's happened between us," she admitted honestly before taking a pause. "I wasn't the one who made the phone call to his lawyer and asked for a divorce."

His small smile turned into a frown. "No, you were the one playing perfect hostess to a psycho serial killer and hiding him from the police in your very own home."

"Okay, you don't know all the facts," she replied in angry tone while pointing at him, "so before you go accusing me of anything, I think you should—"

"Should what? Feel sorry for the poor orphan-turned-paramedic? Davis is the reason why I walked out on our marriage, Chloe. Don't you see that?"

"Oh, really? So he _forced_ you to publicly humiliate me in front of all those people at the hospital? He _made_ you send all those degrading e-mails to my account, telling me how awful of a person I was? He _told_ you to—"

"Okay, okay, okay. It wasn't _all_ him, but the only reason why I left you was because Davis lied about killing that drunk driver and covered it up so well that you took his side over mine. I mean, do you even remember what he did to me and Oliver in the _Talon _basement? The guy almost killed us down there. I could've died."

"I know..." she whispered, looking away from him for a few moments with guilt all over her face before looking back up at her ex-husband. "I know, but that wasn't him, Jimmy. It was the beast. And I'm sorry for what happened to you, I really am. I know I should have been there to stop it, but at least the monster's no longer there inside of him. Davis can't hurt anyone now. He's free from the beast's control."

"What...?" the ex-photographer looked at her, completely perplexed. "How is that even possible?"

"It's a long story, but the short version basically sums up to this: I used a special type of meteor rock and was able to split the two apart."

"Wait," he stopped her, holding his hands out in front of himself, trying to get a grasp on the situation from the new information his ex-wife had just given him. "So if Davis is here with us, then does that mean Clark went after—?"

Jimmy suddenly stopped talking and both turned around when they heard Davis groaning. Stirring, he began to wake up and opened his eyes halfway while they tried to adjust from the sunlight coming through the windows.

"Chloe..." he whispered softly.

His head was throbbing in pain, his muscles were aching from the shoulders down, yet just listening to the sound of _her_ voice was enough to make all the tension in his body begin to melt away. Clutching his head with one hand, Davis used the other to try and sit himself up as Chloe walked over to his side before kneeling down beside him, then looked at him with concern etched all over her facial features after she finished helping him up.

"Davis. Davis, are you all right? Don't try and get up too quickly, okay? You've been through a lot lately. You need to save your strength and rest until we can get you to a hospital."

His health was the least of his concerns, however, when the events of the day before suddenly came rushing back to him. "It worked, didn't it? The black meteor rock separated me from the beast, didn't it?"

"Yes, it did. You're human now. You're going to be all right."

He sighed with relief. "It's all thanks to you," he said, looking deep into her green eyes. "You saved me."

"Well, as much as I'd like to win the Nobel Peace Prize for that," she blushed, "you should also thank Oliver for stealing the meteor rock from Tess Mercer and Clark for wanting us to use it on you instead of the alternative."

"Where is Clark? Is he okay? The beast—did it attack him after we were separated?"

"I don't know," she replied in a sadden tone of voice. "I wish I knew. He hasn't come back or called, and he's been gone all night."

Slightly jealous of their closeness and the connection they really did seem to share with each other but only imagining what they, especially Chloe, had been through in the past few weeks, Jimmy decided to give them some space.

"I'm gonna go call Oliver and see if he's heard anything from Clark yet."

"Okay," the blonde nodded, looking at him for a moment as he left the building before turning her attention back onto Davis.

Staring down at himself, the ex-paramedic from Metropolis General Hospital couldn't believe everything that had happened; he couldn't believe everything Chloe and Clark had done for him. It was more than anything anyone had ever done for him in his whole life. To put it mildly, there wasn't enough words in the entire English language to say how truly grateful he was to both of them. At the end of the day, despite all the horrible, unforgivable things he had done to control the monster inside, they could still see Davis for what he really was: human. _She_ saw the man behind the beast and ultimately was the one who split the atom, finally breaking him free from the curse he had been forced to live with ever since he and Clark came to Earth together in the first meteor shower.

"Chloe," he spoke her name softly after looking back up at her. "I—I don't know...I don't know how to repay you for everything you've done for me. I mean, you stood by me when no one else would. You took me in and even left your whole life in Smallville behind to save me from getting arrested by the police and killing Clark. You—"

She pressed her index finger to his lips for a couple of seconds to silence him and smiled warmly. "I did what anyone would have done to save someone they care about."

The tingling sensation he felt when her finger was pressed against his lips sent shivers down his back, made him want more, yet Davis kept himself in check, for now wasn't the time to be getting passionate.

"Yeah, but this is—this is different. You didn't drop me off at a homeless shelter or—or send me to a rehab clinic to get treatment for a drug addiction. You actually risked your life by being with me."

"And it's a risk I'd take again if I had to."

Stunned by her words, he had to say—

"_Why_?"

That was a question she had been asking herself for weeks now. When they first left Smallville together, Chloe knew in her heart that she had given up everything in her life to protect Clark from Doomsday. She was saving the world by leaving with Davis, which had become her main ambition in life after officially joining Oliver's superhero team as Watchtower. The situation was in black and white. There were no shades of gray whatsoever, for saving Clark meant saving the world. But the more time she spent with Davis, seeing sides of him—such tender, loving sides—she had never seen before, the more Chloe could picture starting a happy life with him. She could see them getting married in a small church with a few close family members and friends to celebrate the happy occasion, buying their first home with a white picket fence in the front yard, raising 3 or 4 kids as the wonderful parents she knew they could be, building a children's outdoor playset for their big backyard, and maybe adopting a stray golden retriever puppy from a local animal shelter to have as a family dog. She could see it all. Chloe wanted that life now. After losing her mother, losing Jimmy, and almost losing Clark countless times, she now knew what her heart desired most in this world: to build a life with someone she loved with all her heart, who loved her just as much, and grow old together. And that someone was Davis Bloome.

"Because I love you."

Mouth partially open in surprise, eyes blinking, the former paramedic wasn't sure if he heard her correctly. Did she actually say what he thought she just said?

"What?"

She smiled again, cupping his cheek gently with her right hand before saying, "I love you, Davis."

"You do?" he whispered, shifting his weight around a little to stare at her more closely. "You really do?"

"Yes," the blonde said, nodding while leaning closer to him, their faces now only inches away from one another. "Yes, I do. I love you. I love you so much."

Then before he could say anything in response, she tilted her head slightly and pressed her lips against his. The sweet kiss, however, only last a few seconds when Davis gently pulled away. Looking deep into her green eyes, he could hardly believe what had just happened. In a matter of a few moments Chloe had made his dreams come true. She loved him. Not Jimmy. Not Clark. _Him_. The woman he had fallen in love with from the first day that they had met loved him back.

Caressing her cheek with his thumb, Davis couldn't help but smile when a tear of joy started to run down her face before wiping it away.

"I love you too," he professed in a hushed tone, pressing his forehead against hers just as he closed his eyes while trying to imprint this perfect moment in his mind forever. "I always have and I always will."

"I know," she replied back softly.

Opening his eyes again, "Chloe, I couldn't imagine my life without you."

"You won't have to because I'm not going anywhere. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Davis."

"You do?"

"Yes," she giggled while more tears of joy leaked from her eyes. "Of course I do. I love you."

Without saying another word, Davis cupped the back of her head and pulled her into a passionate kiss. She kissed him back, cupping his neck with one hand while encircling her arm around his back with the other. Kissing like two lovers who been denied all the happiness in the world but were finally in each other's arms at long last, he sought for entrance into her mouth. Chloe quickly obliged and parted her lips, tongues soon battling each other for control. Whispering sweet nothings between kisses, both were completely lost in each other for what seemed like half a lifetime until they heard—

"_**Guys!!!**_"

Parting ways in the blink of an eye from the distress in Jimmy's voice, the couple saw him running through the black double doors, almost out of breath, only seconds later.

"Jimmy, what's wrong?" Chloe asked worriedly as she helped Davis up from off the ground.

"Trouble. I just got off the phone with Oliver and he said that CK told him Lois is MIA. He can't find her anywhere."

Feeling her heart skip a beat upon hearing those words, the blonde couldn't believe that on top of everything else that had happened in the past 24 hours, her cousin was now missing. "Oh, my God. Lois."

"Oliver is using his satellites to try and locate her, but so far there's been no luck. She was last seen at the _Daily Planet_. No one's heard from her since. And according to Ollie, Clark wants us to meet up with him at the _Isis Foundation_ so we can start a search of our own for her there."

"Yeah, he's right," Davis agreed. "We should go."

"Hold on a second. Are you sure you're up to this, Davis?" Jimmy questioned him with some concern in his tone this time. "Shouldn't we take you to Met General and make sure you're okay first?"

"No, I'll be fine. The most important thing that we need to do right now is to find Lois."

"Okay, let's go."

* * *

**Should I continue? Do you think it was a good first chapter to a happy Chlavis ending on the show? **

**_Please review!!!_**


	2. 9x01 Part I: Ring

**Couples:** Chloe/Davis, some Lois/Clark (Chlavis & Clois)

**Author note:** It's been a month now since "Doomsday" aired and I'm still ranting over what the writers gave us in that horrible finale. Can you blame me, though? They never should have killed Davis off or ended things the way they did. Sam Witwer brought the show up to a whole new level, and now that he's gone, I'm not even sure if I can watch the ninth season because the writers destroyed everything SV stood for in that lame excuse they called a season finale. *calms down* Sorry I got a little carried away there. Lol! Thanks so much to those of you who reviewed and encouraged to keep writing this alternate ending to "Doomsday." I've decided to make this my version of Season 9 (since the writers won't be writing it the way I want after killing off Davis), so the story probably be about 22 chapters long. In other words, one chapter = one episode. And as you can see from above, I've also decided to add a little Clois to my fanfic because Lois/Clark are the canon couple on SV. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy the second chapter!

**Chapter Two:** Ring

* * *

Time was not on his side today.

_Literally_.

Clark was searching intensely on Chloe's computers at the _Isis Foundation_, looking for any clues to Lois' whereabouts. The Kryptonian couldn't help but blame himself for her sudden disappearance when he was the one who ultimately chose to split Davis from Doomsday. He'd never regret trying to save his alien brother, because he learned from his parents that everyone should be worth saving. However, his choice to do so came at a price this time. Falling into Oliver's trap after his team located Chloe and Davis in Edge City, Clark super-sped to the scene only to be shot in the back with a Kryptonite dart so he was "out of the way" while they attempted to destroy the beast. When Chloe released the creature using the Black K, Doomsday went on a rampage in the city, destroying everyone and everything in its path. Going against his strongest enemy—the one who was supposedly destined to kill him—Clark was able to stop the monster and send it to the geothermal facility before Doomsday endangered too many lives. It still hurt, though; the fact that he couldn't save all those innocent people who were killed, both on the streets of the Metropolis and in the LuthorCorp building when it exploded. If he could turn back time and save them, Clark would have. But he couldn't change the past, no matter how he wanted to. The only thing he could do now was focus on the present and concentrate on finding Lois, hoping she wasn't where he suspected she was.

"Clark!" he suddenly heard Chloe's voice when she rushed through the double doors of her office.

"Chloe," the red and blue clad farm boy whirled around to find his best friend leaping into his arms. In return, he wrapped his arms tightly around her slim body, so grateful that nothing had happened to her since he left to find and take down the beast. "I'm so glad you're still all right."

"Yes, I'm fine," she replied in a firmer tone than he was expecting and felt her pulling away from him. "But my panic mode was about to go into overdrive. When you never called or came back, I was afraid that the beast killed you or—"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you worry, but I'm okay. Doomsday put up a fight, but I was able to get him to the geothermal facility."

"Is he gone then? Have we finally seen the last of that Frankenstein wedding crasher?"

"After the explosives detonated when I got him into the underground tunnel, I checked to see if Doomsday had a heartbeat. There was none. I think he's gone for good."

Before Chloe could say anything in response, except for a sigh of relief, the two friends heard Jimmy coming in with his right arm around Davis to help him walk.

"Davis," Clark said in concern when he looked upon his Kryptonian brother's current condition.

"Don't worry about me, Clark," the ex-paramedic replied while Jimmy helped him over to one of the black chairs at the table. "I'm just a little weak after being split from the beast. I'll be fine, though."

"Davis, you're not fine. You need to see a doctor. Chloe, he needs to go to a hospital right now."

"I know, Clark. That's what Jimmy and I said too, but then Davis reminded us in the car that the police are still looking for him. If we take him to Met Gen, the authorities will drag him out of there in handcuffs before the ink dries on his discharge forms."

"You're right," he agreed. "Thanks to Tess' front page headlines, they are still looking for Davis as the Cornfield Killer. So what do we do then? Can't we have Oliver call Dr. Hamilton to come and check him out?"

"It's already taken care of. Emil said he should be here in about an hour or so."

"We heard about Lois, CK," Jimmy said, stepping into the conversation. "Have you found her yet?"

"No," Clark admitted in remorse. "But what's worse is that I think I found a clue to her disappearance when I went to _Daily Planet_, so locating her won't be that easy."

"Why is that worse?" the blonde asked, bewildered. "You're acting like Lois' MIA status is more than just a question of where."

"That's because it is. It may also be a question of when."

"A question of when? Are you saying Lois pulled a _Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure_ and went joyriding through several centuries of history in a time machine? That sounds a little strange, even by Smallville standards...or Lois standards."

He closed his eyes for a moment before opening them again to reply, "I think Lois might be lost somewhere in the future after she came in contact with a Legion ring."

"What?" Jimmy and Davis spoke out in unison.

"Lois is in the future?" the ex-photographer gaped at him in shock. "How?"

"Clark, do you realize you've just—" Chloe started, though was quickly cut off by her best friend's interruption.

"It's okay, Chloe. Jimmy knows about my secret now. He actually saved my life after Oliver shot me with a Kryptonite dart when I found out you and Davis were in Edge City."

"What? You know about Clark's powers?" she stared at her former husband in amazement. "And it doesn't freak you out? Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I guess it just didn't feel like the right time. I have to say it clears up a lot of things from the past. All those times you defended Clark over me...I get it now. Everything's finally beginning to make sense."

"I never meant to lie to you, Jimmy," she confessed truthfully, as she stepped closer to him. "I was just trying to protect Clark because I know how much the world needs him."

"I understand that now," he nodded and gave her a comforting hug of reassurance. "And I think what you've done for him all these years is amazing. In fact, I think that makes you just as much of a hero as Clark."

"Thank you," she blushed before turning into her attention back onto her best friend. "You know, I may be a little out of loop on this one since I've been away for the past couple of weeks, so forgive me if I'm somewhat confused here, but how could Lois be lost in the future? I thought you destroyed your Legion ring after the Linda Lake incident."

"I did, but Rokk returned from the 31st century two nights ago and gave me a new one. He wanted me to use the ring to send Davis to the future, that way they could destroy Doomsday there. I couldn't do that to him though, because I knew that would have been worse than when I tried to send him to the Phantom Zone, so I decided to hide the ring in my desk at the _Daily Planet _until I could figure out what to do with it later. Then when I went after Doomsday in the city, I remembered that Lois wanted to meet me...or the Red-Blue Blur at a phone booth, but—"

"You were going to tell Lois your secret?" the blonde inquired with a glint of surprise in her green eyes. "What brought that on?"

"I was considering it, yes, but I don't think know is the time to talk about it."

"No, you're right. This isn't the time to be running off base. Continue with what you were saying."

"Lois wasn't there, so I called her apartment to see if she was still safe, though she wasn't home either. I did some checking around, and once I learned the _Daily Planet_ was the last place anyone had seen Lois, I went to the basement to find any clues. However, when I got there, the place had been trashed and the Legion ring was gone too."

"Was there anyone else at the _Daily Planet_ before Lois went off the map?" Jimmy wondered. "Not to negate your time travel theory or anything, but if the basement was trashed, maybe someone kidnapped her and is holding her hostage somewhere."

"I asked that question to a few security guards who were on the clock when Lois was there last night. According to them, the only person who came by before her disappearance was Tess."

"Tess?" the former investigative reporter spoke up again with a perplexed facial expression. "Why would the black widow of LuthorCorp be at the _Daily Planet_ after hours?"

"I don't know, but something tells me she wasn't working late at the office because she wanted to give her employees their weekly paychecks in advance. Although, I was also able to find out from the guards that she left the _Planet_ two hours after arriving, so at least we know Tess isn't with Lois right now."

"Have you talked to her yet? Do you think she might know Lois is gone?"

"After everything she has gone through to try and make me accept I'm Earth's alien Jesus, I wouldn't put anything past her. Unfortunately, I've only come up with dead ends since. Tess wasn't at the mansion when I went by there earlier and her security people wouldn't give me any information on where she went after leaving the _Planet_. I asked Oliver and his team to start a search for Lois using his satellites in case there was a chance she was still here. She's been missing without a single trace for over twelve hours now—"

"And because the ring is gone too, that means Lois could be anywhere in the future or the past," Chloe concluded sadly, more worried than ever that she may never see her cousin again.

"I'm sorry, Chloe. I should've destroyed the Legion ring like I did the last one, but with everything else that was going on—"

"Clark, I don't blame you for what's happened. I know you had your hands full with trying to save everyone from the beast. Plus, there was no way you could've known Lois was going to stumble upon the ring and send herself to the Dark Ages. But blaming yourself won't bring her back any faster. "

"That's still no excuse. The ring was my responsibility, and this would have never happened if I hadn't kept it inside my desk where anyone at the _Daily Planet_ could've gotten a hold of it. It's my fault she's gone."

"No, it isn't," Davis said while using the weight of the black table to steady himself after standing up. "It's mine."

"Davis," Chloe spoke his name softly, as she stepped closer to him. "You can't blame yourself for what happened to Lois, either. You didn't even know the Legion ring existed."

"That's not the point. None of this would have ever happened if you guys had never even met me in the first place."

"You're not to blame for what Doomsday did," Clark told him in a firm voice. "I'll admit I didn't always accept that, which is one of the reasons why I tried to send you to the Phantom Zone before. But after Chloe left Smallville to save me from the beast and protect you, I finally understood. All those people he killed, it wasn't your fault, and I know you did everything you could to stop the beast from continuing to harm innocent people. It may not have been the greatest solution to the problem, although you did the best you could in a bad situation. Now that people have seen Doomsday in Metropolis, maybe with Oliver's help we can convince everyone that the beast was the one who committed those murders."

"I appreciate the support, Clark, but that thing inside me didn't kill all those criminals. I did. I deserve to go to prison for what I've done and I'll take whatever punishment I get."

"Davis, no," Chloe protested, cupping both sides of his face with her hands. "You weren't the monster here, Doomsday was; that's why I've stuck by you this whole time, because I knew you were a good person who deserved a second chance. Now, listen to me. Clark is right. We're going to find a way to prove to people you're innocent, and we'll start our lives together without being on the run everywhere we go. We'll get through this together, okay? Just like we always have."

Then without another thought, unconcerned by the fact that her best friend and ex-husband were watching them, the blonde reached up to his level and kissed him. In response, he leaned in, cupping her cheek gently, and kissed her back until she parted ways a few moments later. Afterwards, Chloe pulled him into a tight hug by wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I love you," she whispered into his ear, close to tears.

"I love you too," he replied soothingly while rubbing her back softly. "More than anything."

They stood there holding each other for a couple more seconds before she finally pulled away, wiping a tear from her face. Clark gave them a small smile, for he knew their being together was what they both wanted and deserved. Jimmy, however, was less thrilled to be watching another man kiss his ex-wife but was starting to accept it. He wanted Chloe to be happy, even if she wasn't with him anymore.

"Thank you for believing in me, Clark," Davis said with sincere gratitude. "You and Chloe were the only ones who did."

"Davis, everything you've suffered through since we came to Earth ultimately happened because my birth parents sent me here to save mankind from the same fate as our own planet. You had no choice in the matter. I'm sorry for not believing that sooner." Clark stepped closer to him and Chloe, placing his hand on Davis' shoulder. "You're my brother, and I promise we'll find a way to clear your name of all the murder charges."

"Wait a second," Jimmy interrupted, excited by the information he was learning. "You guys are from a different planet? You're both aliens?"

Clark looked over at Chloe for a second, slightly unsure if he should show all his cards to him since it was risk. However, he quickly decided that since Jimmy knew about his abilities and seemed to accept them, there was no logical reason for keeping the whole truth from him now.

"Yes, Davis and I are aliens from another planet called Krypton, though it was destroyed just after we left in my spaceship. Three years later it crash landed in Smallville during the first meteor shower where my adopted parents found me in a cornfield. They raised me, helped me learn how to control my abilities and accept them as gifts, but Davis wasn't as lucky as I was. He was captured by Lionel, then thrown out onto the streets as a boy, and grew up in the foster system without a home his entire childhood."

"This is so cool!" The former photographer could hardly contain his enthusiasm. "I mean, not about what happened to your planet or Davis' childhood. It's just—I can't believe you're aliens. I always thought aliens from outer space were those little green dudes on Mars or something that you see in cartoons and stuff, but this is—"

"Jimmy," the farm boy tried to calm his friend down, that way he could explain how serious the matter of carrying his secret was. "I know this is a lot to take in and ask of you, but now that you know our secrets, can we trust you to not tell anyone?"

The grin on Jimmy's face faded away and turned serious. "Your secrets are safe with me, CK. Always."

"It's not going to be easy, though. Remember Pete Ross? He was my best friend growing up and knew about my abilities even before Chloe did, yet because of the burden it caused from knowing what I can do, he eventually decided to move away from Smallville. It was hard on my parents too. Almost everyone who has found out about my secret has either died or left; that's why I want you to be aware of how dangerous knowing my secret really is."

"Clark, I know you and I have had our share of disagreements over the past couple of years, mostly because I was jealous of your relationship with Chloe. But now that I know what you can do and who you really are...I want to be there to help out like she has. I'd like to be a part of this—if you let me, that is."

"Thank you. Your support means a lot to me, Jimmy."

"There's just one more thing that doesn't quite make sense."

"What is it?"

"Well, if Davis doesn't mind me asking..." he turned his head to right and looked over at him. "...what was with the red eyes and bony spikes? I mean, why were one of you David and the other Goliath?"

"It's complicated," Clark replied before Davis could say anything. "We can talk about it later, though. What we need to do right now is concentrate on finding Lois."

"So what's our plan of attack?"

"I have an idea, but I think the first thing we should do is check the security footage at the _Daily Planet_ to see if Lois really did disappear by coming in contact with the ring. Chloe, now that you're here, can you hack into the system and—?"

"I wasn't gone _that_ long, Clark," she said with a playful smile, the guys right behind her as she walked over to her computers. "I'll be in before you can say Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."

However, just when the blonde was about to get started, they all heard a loud noise behind them. Turning around, the foursome saw a nearly blinding white light illuminating the room. When it finally faded away, Clark and Chloe immediately recognized the figures suddenly standing in front of them: It was Rokk, Imra and Garth.

"What the—?" Jimmy stared at the future superheroes in astonishment. "Who are you guys?"

"_Friends from the future_," Imra replied in her tranquil tone of voice to him telepathically. "_We are the Legion_."

Rokk, who was behind his teammates, stepped forward while carrying an unconscious Lois in his arms.

"Lois," Clark breathed out, concern written all over his face. "Is she okay?"

The black and purple clad leader nodded before looking down at the woman he was holding and back up at them. "She's been through a lot, but she's fine now."

"Hey, Kal," Garth said with a mischievous grin. "Still no flights or tights?"

Upon hearing the Legionnaire's question, Davis' forehead furrowed in confusion. "Tights?"

* * *

**I just couldn't resist adding that last little bit in there at the end since Sam said ****he disliked Superman's blue tights ****in several of his SV interviews. Lol! What did you think of the second chapter? Do you still think I should continue the story? If so, I'm thinking of bringing back some former foes and old friends to SV. :) Any requests?**

_**Please review!**_


	3. 9x01 Part II: Destiny

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Chapter Three:** Destiny

* * *

"Kal?" Jimmy questioned in utter confusion. "Who's Kal? Is that you, CK?"

"Yes," Clark nodded. "My birth name is Kal-El, but I've always preferred Clark."

"Kal, now is not the time," Rokk interrupted, still holding Lois in his arms. "We must speak with you about Doomsday's defeat."

"Why? Is there something wrong? Do you think he's going to return?"

"That's what we need to talk to you about," he spoke in a firm tone. "In private."

"Whatever you want to say to me, you can say in front of Chloe, Jimmy and Davis. They're my friends."

"All right."

"But first I want to know where Lois went. Why did the Legion ring even active when she found it?"

"Okay, before we dive any further into this little superhero reunion," Chloe spoke up, still standing next to Jimmy and Davis. "Why don't we put Lois on the couch so she can rest?"

The others agreed and she showed the purple and black clad leader the couch in the following room. Rokk gently placed Lois down on the magenta-colored couch, then walked back into the office where Clark was waiting for answers.

"Lois did not travel to the 31st century if that's what you're worried about."

"Then where did she go?"

"You used a Legion ring once before when you jumped two days into the past to stop that meteor-infected journalist from trying to exploit your abilities to the world, right?"

"Yes, but I don't understand what that has to do with Lois now."

"When you used it last time, this was a conscious decision on your part for the ring to take you back in time. However, the Legion rings also have the ability to take its holder anywhere in time by unconscious desire of a future or past destination as well."

"So even though Lois didn't know what the ring could do, she wanted to go somewhere in the past or future and it took her there?"

"Yes, exactly."

"Where did Lois go?"

"Metropolis, 2019. We found her wandering the streets of the city almost as soon as we arrived in that time period. And as a precaution, we had to knock Lois unconscious so Imra could enter her mind without her knowledge. When she wakes up, Lois will no have memories of being in the future or several hours prior the incident occurred here in the present."

"It's probably better that way, but why did Lois want to travel ten years into the future in the first place? What happens in 2019?"

"Oh, man, I wish you could have seen it, Kal," Garth came up to his idol with a bright grin on his face. "You may not fly or wear the blue tights now, but someday you will and then everyone in Metropolis will know you as the Man of St—"

"Garth!" Rokk yelled at him. "You know the code. Telling Kal-El anything about his future is breaching protocol."

"Then why did you return to tell me about my death two days ago?" Clark questioned the leader. "If it's against your Legion code to tell me anything about my future, why come back to change it?"

"Because I didn't have a choice. It was just like before when the Persuader stole one of our Legion rings and came to the past to attack you and destroy the red crystal, which we thought was the only way to defeat Brainiac without killing the human host he was inhabiting. Your life was in danger, so we had no choice but to step in and help you to protect all of our futures."

"Then I'm still known in the future? I still exist in a thousand years?"

"For now, yes, but that could change now that you've altered the course of history. The future of your friends are a different story, too."

"Why do you say that?"

"After we returned to 3009, Imra and I did extensive research on your friends in this century to see if there was any chance they were a part of your life after you fully accepted your Kryptonian destiny, yet the names Chloe Sullivan and Davis Bloome were nowhere to be found in the archives of your history."

"It's like they never existed," the blonde Legionnaire interjected, staring at the pair.

"That was one of the reasons why we came back to the past. Your future and the future of your friends may be safe now. The only question that remain is for how long?"

"I thought you said that as long as Doomsday was defeated, the future would be safe," Clark countered.

"Which is why you're still here today. However, that doesn't necessarily mean he won't return."

"I had him buried a mile in the ground with the help of Oliver's team. I didn't hear his heartbeat, and he hasn't resurfaced—"

"You didn't send him to the future. If you had, the Legion could have destroyed him there and your future would still be safe. But now that you've split Davis from Doomsday and buried the beast underground, it only makes your future existence that much more unpredictable."

"So the security of my future is more important to you than saving a life? You would have been willing to let Davis die to make sure I'd still be alive a thousand years from now?"

"I don't think you realize how serious the situation really is, Kal. If you don't exist in the future, neither will we. If you die, our future does not exist. I know you don't believe in taking a life for the greater good today, but someday you—"

"I'd never put myself over someone else's life," Clark said in a dangerously low voice, looking straight into Rokk's eyes. "Especially over someone I care about. And if you truly knew who I was, you would know that."

"Kal..." Garth started but was quickly stopped when the red and blue clad farm boy gave him and then Rokk a glare.

"The last time all three of you were here, you almost killed Chloe because she was infected by Brainiac. Now you're all looking down upon me because I wouldn't send Davis to the 31st century, where you would have killed him for being the human alter ego to Doomsday? You say it's because of me that the human race eventually learns to accept aliens on Earth. You've followed my history and treat me like I'm some sort of worshiped war hero... But you don't know me at all, because if you did, then you'd know if there's one thing my adopted parents taught me, it was this: You never kill to solve a problem. There's always another way."

"Perhaps our ideas of your personal code of ethics from your early life were a little misguided," Rokk stood his ground. "But you can't underestimate our knowledge of your beliefs when you're older, Kal. We know what greatness lies ahead for you, Lois and Jimmy Olsen as a result of the many experiences you will come to face in the future. You cannot escape your destiny."

"You know what's going to happen to me?" Jimmy inquired, interrupting the two men in their argument. "People know who I am a thousand years in the future?"

"Who is this guy?" Garth pointed to him with his thumb.

"_I'm_ Jimmy Olsen."

"What?" the redhead turned around to eye him with disbelief. "I thought Super—I thought Kal's photographer pal from the _Daily Planet_ was ten years younger than him and Lois? Hey, in fact, I just saw a hologram of the three of them working together back in 2019 the other day, so I know this guy can't be the real Jimmy Olsen. He looks nothing like him."

"That's because he isn't," Imra answered coolly. "This is Henry James Olsen, Jimmy's older brother."

"My younger brother is going to work at the _Daily Planet_ someday?" the ex-photographer asked, almost completely stunned by the news. "He's going to know Clark too?"

"Yes," Rokk nodded. "That's all we can say, though."

"Wait," Clark stopped him, realizing something Garth had just said. "Did you say Lois and I will still be working together at the _Daily Planet_ in ten years? That's where she went in the future."

The black and purple clad Legionnaire sighed, knowing exactly what the future Man of Steel was going to ask next.

"What happens in ten years? Why did Lois travel there? What aren't you telling me?"

"I can't tell you. I'm sorry. That's something you'll have to learn on your own in time."

That was the last straw for Clark.

"I don't care about your stupid code!" he yelled out in frustration, as he used his super-strength to slam Rokk into the nearest wall. "_I care about Lois!_"

"Clark, don't!" Chloe came up to her best friend, touching his shoulder in attempt to help get through to him. "Brute force won't solve anything here. Let him go."

After staring at his friends and the other future superheroes, the Kryptonian took a deep breath and finally released Rokk as large pieces of the wall fell to the ground.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you..." he apologized, stepping a couple of feet away from him. "...but I still want to know what you're hiding from me. Lois went ten years into the future because of that ring, which never would have happened if you hadn't given it to me in the first place. Now, tell me why she did and what she went through while she was there. Chloe and I have a right to know the truth."

"All right," Rokk agreed with a small nod. "I'll tell you what you need to know about Lois, but nothing else."

"Thank you," Chloe breathed out, still standing right beside her best friend.

"She traveled ten years into the future because of you, Kal."

"Me?" Clark asked, bewildered. "Why did Lois go to the future because of me?"

"As I'm sure you're well aware, Lois has become increasingly intrigued by the Red-Blue Blur in the past few months. She's wanted to see you use your powers, write the first face-to-face interview about who you are and where you came from, and even went as far as pretending to be a superhero herself to get the chance to finally meet you. So when Lois found the ring last night, by her unconscious desire to meet you, it took her to a time where you'd be more willing to admit the truth to her."

"In ten years? What you're saying is I'll finally admit to Lois who I really am in ten years?"

"The choice is up to you. All I really can say is that one day all of Metropolis will know you as Clark Kent, investigative reporter for the _Daily Planet_...but the world will recognize you for much more. And when they do, your biological father will finally see his son embrace the Kryptonian destiny he always hoped you would accept when you came to Earth."

"But...Jor-El's gone now," Clark said, even more perplexed than before. "He...I—I thought he disappeared when Brainiac corrupted the Fortress."

"Although we can't tell you how it'll happen," Imra explained as he turned around to look at her, "We can promise you that one day you will find a way to restore the Fortress and bring your father back, Kal-El. It is a day in history that people will remember well in the future."

"Unless Doomsday returns." He couldn't help but remind them of the dark possibility now that he let their words from before sink in. "Then all of our futures will be history."

Rokk walked past him and stood beside his teammates, then looked at Clark straight in the eye. "You made a choice, Kal. It was the one you thought was best under the circumstances of the grim situation you were put into. You didn't want to send Davis to the future because you knew that would have been sending him to his death. Instead you used Black Kryptonite to split him from the beast to give Davis a second chance to live. I'll still admit it was a great risk towards your future, but a risk I can see now that you would've made again in order to save him or anyone else."

"Without a second thought," he affirmed his words. "And no matter what the future may hold for me, the support of my friends will always keep me going. Chloe is my best friend and the best sidekick anyone could ask for." The blonde looked up at him, who stared down at her with a smile, and a small blush began rising in her cheeks from his compliment. Then Clark looked over at his two other friends. "Jimmy figured out everything about me and Davis before anyone else. Even though no one believed him at first, he never stopped trying to convince us that he was right. He's been a great friend and I'm glad he knows my secret now. Davis had a hard life growing up, which was partially my fault. He did everything he could stop Doomsday from harming innocent people once he found out what he was. In one way or another, they've all saved me. I don't know where I'd be right now without any of them. So if you ever think price of trying to save a life is too high, just think about what happened here and remember what my parents taught me."

"Well, if we didn't understand that before, forgive us. I can assure you, though, that the Legion will abide by your code of ethics from now on."

"Thank you," Clark smiled, extending his hand out for the leader to shake and he accepted.

After letting go of his hand, Rokk took two steps backwards so the others could say their good-byes.

Imra came forward and kissed Clark on the cheek. "Don't forget to look for us when you reach 3009. We'll be there waiting for you."

As the red and white clad heroine stepped back, Garth stepped forward. "Hey, Kal, do you think there's any chance a girl like Lois would be willing to hook up with a guy like me?"

"Garth!" Rokk and Imra yelled out in unison.

"I was just kidding!" the redhead shot back at them before grinning at his idol and whispering to him, "Or not."

Clark gave him a toothy grin in return, shaking his head in humorous disbelief.

"Kal, one more thing," the black and purple clad Legionnaire spoke with seriousness again. "Be careful of your friend, Tess Mercer. Although her intentions towards helping you may have been underhanded yet true at heart in the past, she cannot be trusted."

Clark nodded, understanding the threat she could still pose for knowing his secret, and therefore didn't trust her. "I'll be on my guard."

The leader gave him a nod, then turned around to face his teammates, forming a small circle while the others watched them. Making a fist with their right hands, each holding their own Legion ring, the three future superheroes raised them up in the air preparation for the time travel.

"Long live the Legion," Rokk said in a commanding tone.

A bright, purple light illuminated themselves, and when it disappeared, they were gone....

In the next room, Lois groggily awoke to the sound of what she could have sworn was an earthquake. Her head hurt and the muscles in her arms and legs were a little sore. Entirely confused as to how she got to the _Isis Foundation_ in the first place, or why she was sore for that matter, the reporter sat herself up on the couch.

"Hello? Is anybody here?"

Clark immediately walked through the hallway and into the room. "Lois, are you all right?"

Looking up, she was surprised to see him there as well. "Yeah, I'm fine, Smallville. I have no idea how I got here, though. Do you?"

"I brought you here after I found you unconscious at the _Daily Planet_ a few hours ago," he explained, lying through his teeth. "Do you remember anything before passing out?"

"I don't even remember passing out. The last thing I remember was working at the _Daily Planet_. Jimmy had just run off after we located Chloe and Davis in Edge City." That's was it hit her. "Oh, my God, Chloe! Clark, Chloe's in Edge City. You have to go get her before—"

"Calm down, Lois. She's fine."

"What do you mean, she's fine? My cousin is out on the run with a psychopathic serial killer and you think she's _fine_?"

"If you don't believe me, see for yourself."

"Huh?"

Clark smiled, stepping off to the side and Chloe appeared in the doorway with a bright grin on her face. "Hey, coz."

"Chloe!" Lois gasped and got up from the couch, running straight to her cousin's arms. With tears of joy springing out of their eyes, they embraced each other happily, reunited after being apart for several weeks. Neither could say anything for several moments while they continued holding onto one another. Lois could hardly believe it was really her. "Chloe," she said almost out of breath, finally letting go of her younger cousin after hugging her for what seemed half a lifetime. "I was so afraid I was never gonna see you again."

"For a while there I thought the same thing, too."

"Where have you been all this time? How did you even get back here? Were you finally able to escape from the evil clutches of tall, dark and scary?"

"Davis never took me against my will, Lois. I went with him all on my own because I was trying to protect him from the police."

"But why? I mean, I could totally tell that you had the hots for the guy, but he's a murderer. His face has been on the front page of every major newspaper in the country for weeks. How could you protect Davis when you know he killed so many people?"

"Davis didn't commit those murders," Clark spoke up again. "He was framed."

"Who did then?"

"Remember the monster from my wedding six months ago?" the blonde reminded her.

"Oh, my God. That thing killed all those people? Is it still out there somewhere? Can it even be destroyed?"

"Well, according to the news, it was—" he started to say, but was quickly interrupted by his best friend.

"Metropolis' newest crime-fighting superhero, the Red-Blue Blur," Chloe admitted truthfully, much to Clark's discomfort. "He was able to stop the creature by burying it alive."

Lois' heart nearly jumped up in her throat when she heard that name. Just the mention of _**him**_ sent shivers of excitement and curiosity down her spine. Though, her reporter instincts quickly made Lois snap back to reality and went back to focusing on the situation she was discussing with Clark and her cousin. "Then who framed Davis?"

"The LuthorCorp diva herself."

"Tess?" she questioned, finding that incredibly hard to believe. "Why? That doesn't make any sense. I mean, I know she was the one who started the whole manhunt for Davis, but why would she go after him at all? He's just a paramedic. How do they even know each other?"

Just as Jimmy and Davis walked into the room, the two best friends looked at one another for a brief moment before Chloe turned to her older cousin again.

"It's a long story."

* * *

Only minutes after Chloe finished informing Lois of the "whole story", Dr. Hamilton showed up to examine both her and Davis. Much to Chloe and Clark's immense relief, Emil gave them both a clean bill of health. And once Lois left for her apartment, the blonde was able to get in contact with Oliver's team to call off the search for her cousin. Then after much deliberation, Clark insisted that Davis stay with him at the farm until the manhunt for his arrest was over, and with the help of his lawyers, Oliver was able to make his case in court. The four friends agreed that was probably their best option under the circumstances, and for all of them, excluding Davis, to stick to their daily routines as much as possible until things were finally settled down.

"It may take a little time," Clark said to Davis that evening as he finished bringing the last of the hay from his truck into the barn with his super-strength. "But you'll get used to the smell. My cousin Kara didn't care too much for it at first when she lived here, either."

"No, it's fine. I lived on a farm once with one of my foster families."

"Really? Where?"

"Granville."

"Where else have you lived?"

"Pretty much everywhere from Coast City to Metropolis."

"I guess Chloe was right.... You really did bounce around from home to home while you were growing up."

Davis let out a long sigh before looking back up at him again. "That was a long time ago, Clark, and I'd rather just forget about my sob story childhood anyway. They aren't exactly fond memories to look back on."

"You shouldn't have had that kind of childhood, Davis. You should have been raised here with me by my parents."

"Why, so your parents could find out about my recurring blackouts, have no idea why I got them, only to one day learn that whenever I had them, the beast went out on a killing spree and I'd wake up covered in the blood of all its dead victims?"

"Maybe if you had lived with us, we could have found out about that sooner and found a way to stop them."

"It doesn't matter now. You had me split from the beast and got rid of him. End of story. There's no sense in dwelling on the past, right?"

Clark stared at him acutely, eyes not even blinking for several moments until his facial expression finally began to soften. "Yeah, I guess you're right. But the point is, if my parents had found you in that field along with me, they would have still—"

"If you're anything like your parents, I know they would have still taken me in.... I know...."

He smiled at him for a few seconds while the two young men stood in silence until speaking up once more. "I think I'm gonna go to bed. I have to be at the _Daily Planet_ by exactly 8:00 AM tomorrow, or I'll never hear the end of it from General Lois."

"Okay," Davis chuckled, taking his word for it.

"Are you coming in too?"

"No, I'm gonna stay out here and look at the stars for a little while. Maybe call Chloe and say good night to her before she goes to bed."

"Are you sure? I mean, I know Dr. Hamilton cleared you medically this afternoon, but you should probably get some rest like he recommended."

"I'm only gonna be out here for a few more minutes, okay, _Dad_? I'll be fine."

"All right," Clark finally gave in. "I'll see you in the morning." He started walking away and was just about to leave the barn when he heard Davis calling out to him. "Yeah?"

"Thanks. For everything."

"That's what brothers are for. They help each other."

"I know, but we're not really—"

"You're welcome," the red and blue clad farm boy stopped him at mid-sentence, not wanting to hear his protests. "Say good night to Chloe for me."

Davis opened his mouth to say something, but he had already left the barn. Clark was gone, leaving Davis to do nothing except stare at the door for a couple of moments until he decided to pull out his BlackBerry from the back pocket of his jeans so he could call Chloe. He turned on his phone and was about to dial her number when Davis heard something from behind him. He turned around to find Tess stepping out of the shadows and into the light of the barn wearing an expensive black coat over her black dress pants and silky violet blouse, clutching a black leather purse that was slung over her right shoulder.

"Well, I must admit that this was the last place I expected to find you," she spoke with ease. "I never actually thought Clark would be willing to harbor a fugitive in his very own home like Ms. Sullivan was. Guess I underestimated his willingness to help you out after all, didn't I, Mr. Bloome?"

"What are you doing here? Are you going to have me arrested?"

She scoffed at his inquiries. "If I wanted you arrested, I would've done that hours ago while you were still in Metropolis... Especially now that you're free from the beast."

As strange as it may have seemed considering he had only met the woman once, Davis wasn't very surprised to hear that the CEO of LuthorCorp knew about his split from Doomsday. She had probably been tracking his every move ever since she attempted to kill him. "Then what do you want from me, lady?"

The devious redhead stepped closer to him. "To once and for all help you fulfill your destiny..._Judas_."

Davis' eyes grew wide before he suddenly felt the sting of a sharp needle from a small dart in the back of his neck. Seconds later, he could feel his limbs grow numb. His eyelids grew heavy, drowsy from the drug that had been injected into his system. All of his surroundings started to go blurry until his eyes finally closed shut, the phone dropped out of his hand, which broke as a result, and he fell to dirt ground in unconsciousness.

Two men dressed in black uniforms with bulletproof vests came out from behind where he was standing, patiently waiting for Tess' orders.

"I guess Beauty doesn't always save the Beast," she smirked at Davis in satisfaction. "Take him away."

* * *

_**Please review!!!**_


	4. 9x02 Part I: Sacrifice

**Disclaimer:** I still own nothing.

**Author note: **For this particular part in the story, I decided to go with an idea I thought could've happened on the show ever since rumors started flying around towards the end of last season that Sam Witwer (Davis) might return to SV as a certain general we all know.... *hint, hint* But then Sammy decided not to come back (not that I completely blame him for feeling that way) and Callum Blue got the role. Anyways... I hope you all enjoy this next chapter!

**Chapter Four:** Sacrifice

* * *

"Okay," Oliver spoke nearly out of breath after he rushed through the back door of the Kent home to see Clark and Chloe standing in the kitchen together, waiting for him. "I got here as fast as I could. What's the big emergency?"

"We think Davis has been kidnapped," Clark informed him, holding Davis' broken cell phone in his right hand.

"What?" the CEO of Queen Industries gave his friends a quizzical facial expression. "What do you mean, he's been kidnapped? The guy's been Doomsday-free for less than two days and you think somebody's gone after him? Who?"

"That's what we've been trying to figure out all morning."

"But who would have the motive to kidnap Davis in the first place? I mean, don't you think it's possible the police found out he was here and arrested him?"

"He was kidnapped, Oliver," Chloe stated in a firm tone, trying her best to stay strong and focus under the circumstances. "No one knew Davis was here except for us, and no one could connect Clark to him to begin with. That's why Clark suggested he stay on the farm until the manhunt was called off and we could prove his innocence to the courts."

"When I saw that he wasn't anywhere in the house this morning," Clark explained, "I went to the barn and I found his broken cell phone on the ground. My guess is whoever took him must've known how to handle the situation without getting caught because my super-hearing ability only works when I concentrate."

"Okay.... So now that you've ruled out Smallville and Metropolis' finest in our criminal investigation, what's the next step?" Ollie inquired, stepping further into the kitchen. "Do you guys have any leads, or do you want me to assemble the team and have them meet us—?"

"No. I don't want any of the other guys to be a part of this. At least not until we figure out who it is we're dealing with first. Once we know who it is, then we'll figure out a way stop them and rescue Davis."

"Clark," Chloe interrupted, instantaneously realizing something and grabbed his forearm. "I think I know who took him."

Silence hung in the air for several seconds between the three friends while Ollie stood waiting for an answer to come out of her mouth. When no answer came, he finally asked, "Who was it?"

The red and blue clad farm boy looked down at his best friend, suddenly realizing who the culprit was too, then looked back up at Oliver with a stern facial expression.

"Tess."

* * *

Gaining consciousness when his eyelids slowly opened up and started blinking, Davis awoke with an intense chill to find himself surrounded by black and white ice pillars and crystals everywhere. After being here twice before, the former paramedic immediately knew all too well where he was at. The Fortress. Just the mere thought of being in the ice castle that once had trapped him in a Kryptonian chrysalis sent more shivers down his spine than the freezing temperature. This place may have been sacred to Clark, considering it was only thing left of their home planet, but all it brought Davis was a reminder of bad memories. Coming face to face with a Brainiac-infected Chloe. Almost being sent to the Phantom Zone by Clark. This place was no sanctuary to him, and he wanted out this very second. Trying to lift himself up from the cold, hard surface he was laying on, Davis quickly realized he couldn't move his arms or legs. His wrists and ankles were in metal shackles and chains, making it impossible for him to escape without the alien super-strength he once possessed. He was powerless. Then, suddenly, he heard someone close by clearing their throat to make their presence known to him.

Tilting his head over to the far right, Davis found the LuthorCorp CEO standing less than ten feet away from him, wearing an expensive fur coat and thick black gloves for the arctic weather.

"I was wondering when you were finally going to wake up," she spoke first, smug and brimming with self-confidence. "I couldn't believe you slept the entire way up here from Smallville."

"What have you done to me? How do you even know—?"

"That this fortress existed?" Tess smirked, scanning the Fortress with her eyes once before turning her attention back onto him. "You shouldn't ask questions you already know the answers to."

"What do you think my life is, a game to you? What do you want from me?"

"You know what I want, Davis. I wanted you and Clark to face your destinies so that he could save us all from the monster that lived inside of you. He was supposed to accept his responsibility of being Earth's greatest savior and destroy you once and for all, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He was too weak to take a life, so Clark used that as a pitiful excuse to see some good in you and want to save you from the beast by splitting the two of you apart." She paused for a moment, looking at Davis straight in the eye. "That was a mistake. One I will gladly make amends and see to it that he doesn't make twice."

"I don't want to be part of any of your sick plans. Let me go."

"Without Judas, Jesus' name would be nothing to us today. The only way Clark will ever be able to fulfill his great destiny is if he overcomes his greatest challenge."

"Lady, I don't know where you're getting your information about us, but I'm not his enemy anymore. I never really was. It was the beast who hated him."

"That may be true, yet I know someone who still is. Someone who wants their revenge on him and to see him dead just like your alter ego did."

"What do you mean? You're actually willing to help someone who wants to kill Clark just to make him face up to this so-called Alien Jesus complex you're so obsessed with seeing him accept as his destiny?"

"It's not an obsession!" she countered. "It's the truth. When Clark had the beast buried alive, he took the easy way out instead of facing his Kryptonian destiny head-on. It was time for him to learn the lesson of sacrifice by taking a life for the greater good, to save thousands on this planet in order to move forward on his journey. You were supposed to be the life he took. But now that the earth's ultimate destroyer has been put to rest, it's only forced me to take more drastic measures to see that Clark does accept his responsibility of saving mankind from the same fate as your home planet.... And you're going to help me do it."

Swallowing hard, with fear crawling down his spine, Davis still remained silent for a few moments until he finally found his voice. "I'm not going to help you do anything. No matter what you say, I won't betray Clark by giving into your threats. And whatever he is destined to do here on Earth, he doesn't need your psychotic guidance or sense of direction hurting him along the way."

She scoffed at her prisoner. "Sharp tongue coming from someone who's been chained down to an altar."

"Chloe and Clark will figure out you took me—"

"And do what?" Tess shot back at him. "Save you? Seems like that's the only thing those two ever do for you."

Although the blood in his veins was beginning to boil out of anger from her taunting, Davis couldn't bring himself to say anything in return.

"You know, after keeping a watchful eye on most of her activities for nearly a year now, I can see how much Chloe enjoys playing the knight in shining armor with the men in her life. But do you honestly think she left Smallville because she loves you and wanted to save you from yourself?"

Trying not to listen to her words, he said coldly, "What would you know about love? You're a heartless corporate shark obsessing over an alien's destiny."

Hitting a nerve that time, the redhead stepped closer to him. "You and I both know the only reason why she left Smallville was because she trying to save Clark from the beast."

"That's not true..." he whispered vehemently, throwing daggers at her with his eyes. "You don't know her like I do."

"You can deny the truth to my face all you want, Davis, although deep down inside you know I'm right. Chloe knew she was the only one who could keep the beast at bay...the only one who could control that monster inside of you, so she took it upon herself to play the heroic sidekick and sacrifice her every happiness by leaving town with you to prevent your destinies from coming true."

"Chloe does love me. And there's nothing you can say or do that'll change that."

"In spite of the fact that she knew you were a cold-blooded serial killer, Chloe felt sorry for you. Pity isn't love, though."

"You want to know something about love that I learned from being with Chloe? Actions speak louder than words. She could've gone back to Jimmy when she learned he was right about me killing that drunk driver at the hospital. She could've gone to Clark for help after she found out the meteor rocks made me stronger. She even could've chosen to stay in Smallville while I ran away from the police you sent after me. But Chloe didn't do any of those things. She stuck by me when no one else would, and if that isn't love, I don't know what is."

"Then I'm sorry to say your gothic fairytale romance won't be able to save you this time."

"Save me from what?"

"From your fate."

"You said it was mine and Clark's destiny to kill one another, but he changed all of that. Why should I believe anything you say now?"

"Because once I'm through with you, Clark will be forced to either accept his destiny and take your life...or suffer the consequences of seeing the planet be taken over by your father, General Zod."

* * *

After being gone for almost half an hour, Clark super-sped into his kitchen to find his two friends still there and waiting for him. "I checked the entire mansion, but there was no sign of them anywhere."

"How do we even know Mercy was the one who really kidnapped Davis?" Oliver tried to defend his first love.

"She's done it before," Chloe argued, beginning to lose her patience with him.

"What? When?"

"About two months ago. Davis came to me at the _Isis Foundation_ after she attempted to kill him by putting a bomb in his truck and detonating it with him inside. When she found out he survived the explosion, Tess took Davis back to the mansion, but he escaped and that's when he asked me to help him die."

"Oh, so because Tess tried to kill your psychopathic boyfriend two months ago, you expect me to believe she's the _only_ one who could've taken him?"

"Why is it such an impossibility for you to believe that Tess kidnapped Davis?"

"This coming from the woman who was harboring the fugitive from the rest of the world, and doing God only knows what with him when the sun went—"

"Guys!" Clark yelled out, getting in the middle of their heated argument so they would stop. "Can we please focus on the problem we're currently dealing with? Oliver, you need to calm down. I know you still have some resentment towards Davis after he almost killed you in the _Talon_ basement, but he's human now and needs our help. He could be in a lot of danger, so we have to figure out where he is before Tess tries to kill him again."

Chloe's green eyes were filled with worry. "You don't really think she'd try it again, do you?"

"If Tess still thinks Davis is a threat to me, I do. Especially after everything she's done to see him dead before we separated him from Doomsday. And remember what Rokk told us? We can't trust her. Now look what's happened. I never should've left him alone in the barn—"

"Clark, I know you feel guilty about what happened, but this isn't your fault. We need to find Davis before Tess hurts him, just like you said, okay? I can't lose him."

"You're right," he agreed, reaching out to softly hold onto her shoulders with both his hands. "I know how much Davis means to you. I'm not gonna let anything happen to him."

Still fighting back the urge to cry, she nodded her head, trusting him to keep his word, before wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him.

"Yeah, sorry if I'm breaking up a tender moment here," Ollie interrupted, as the two best friends let go of each other. "But while you were out playing Sherlock Holmes, we got in touch with Victor and AC. Chloe asked them to try locating Davis and Tess using Queen Industry satellites—"

"That's a good thing, though, isn't it? We'll be able to cover more ground faster if we're using your satellites, right?"

"Yet so far they haven't been able to find either one of them anywhere on the map," Chloe informed him.

Oliver added, "Vic said he'd call back if he finds anything."

After sighing in disappointment, Clark nodded, appreciating what his best friend and teammate had done.

Then something suddenly dawned on Chloe just moments later. "Oh, my God. Clark, I think I've got a pretty good guess where Tess took Davis...and why modern technology hasn't been able to lock onto their location."

"Where?" he and Oliver said together.

"When Bridezilla took me up to the North Pole six months ago, the satellites weren't able to track us while we were inside the Fortress, were they?"

Without a second thought on his mind, the red and blue clad farm boy made a swoosh sound as he super-sped out the door and was out of sight in less than a blink of an eye.

* * *

"You think my father is going to take over the planet?" Davis scoffed, almost rolling his eyes at her. "Your obsession over Clark has turned you delusional."

"Has it?" the redhead inquired, eying him intently. "Then let me refresh your memory by asking you a question. Do you remember when Lois Lane came to visit you at the hospital eight months ago, claiming to be your mother?"

His eyes widened, flabbergasted, immediately recalling that night at Met Gen when Chloe's cousin wasn't acting like her usual self....

* * *

"_You don't recognize me. But you are the spitting image of your father._"

"_Okay. Lois, you gotta reason with me. What kind of drugs do you take? Pills, powder, paste? Don't tell me you injected anything._"

"_You don't know who you are. You experience blackouts? Hours of your life mysteriously lost? Your body's still evolving._"

"_Okay, um...how do you know that?_"

"_Before we were phantoms, Zod and I were unable to have children. So we created you._"

"_You...created me?_"

"_You arrived here as genetic matter containing our planet's most powerful life forms. So that in time, you would evolve to become Earth's ultimate destroyer._"

"_I...I—I drive an ambulance._"

"_The duty of a child...is to continue the legacy...his parents began. Our family is meant to take this planet as our own. And after seeing you with these humans, I realize you're still too weak to fulfill your destiny._"

* * *

"How do you know about that?" he whispered out into the cold air, looking away from Tess now.

"She came to the _Daily Planet_ first, and I found her looking through the system's archives, searching for her son. She started talking about your father and Clark's spaceship, but before I was able to get any more information, she ran off. And her search led straight to you... So don't even think for a second you can try denying it, because I have security footage of you and Lois at the hospital together the night your mother possessed her body. I know you were the long lost son that wraith was looking for."

Davis was stunned, to say the very least. How did this woman he barely even knew seem to know everything about his life, from his origins to his vigilante killing spree to control the beast? There wasn't a single detail from his life—human or alien—that he could hide from the black widow of LuthorCorp. On the other hand, though, none of this really surprised him. How could it? With her power, wealth, and obsessive drive to see Clark become Earth's alien savior, Tess thought she could control his fate like a puppet master pulling the strings. She thought she could control everyone's fate. But after meeting the Legion, the ex-paramedic knew that something as sensitive as someone's fate should never be controlled.

"What do you know about my father?"

"He's much closer than you think," Tess replied, her answer causing him to snap his head to the right and look upon her in utter shock.

"What do you mean by that?"

"A piece of Kryptonian technology Lex Luthor once used to destroy this fortress called to me. An orb. Inside it, your father remains there trapped. And on his orders, I destroyed the crystal that created the portal to the Phantom Zone from our world when I was informed Clark wanted to send Doomsday there after separating you from him."

Still staring at her in disbelief, Davis couldn't believe what he had just heard. "You're the reason Clark was forced to bury the beast alive here on Earth.... His destiny.... His future's unpredictable now all because of you."

"I thought it was the only way he would finally accept who he was!" she lashed out at him in anger. "It was his destiny to destroy you along with the beast, thereby releasing Zod from the Orb, but Clark allowed his human emotions to cloud his judgment and made the wrong choice. Now the world is in more danger than ever and I have to make things right."

"Is that what my father told you?" he asked, beginning to realize the real danger they could all be in for. "Tess, listen to me. Whatever the Orb told you, it's all lies. When that thing who possessed Lois came to me, she said it was my family's destiny rule this planet. You can't believe anything the Orb told you, or it could destroy us all. Please, you have to stop this obsession over Clark before it gets everyone killed and let him write his own destiny. Forcing him to see things your way will only make matters worse."

"I'm already aware of what your father is capable of," the redhead admitted quietly as she walked over to an ice crystal that was about four feet tall with a closed silver case on top of it. "I never thought Dark Thursday would come again. I never thought I'd see myself doing the devil's work to make Clark see the truth, but he's given me no other choice. I have to force him to accept what he was put on this earth to do. It's the only way to save mankind from your father's destruction now that Doomsday's fallen. Zod must be defeated once and for all, or this planet will one day suffer the same fate as Krypton."

_Sacrifice one life for the greater good...._

It all finally made sense. The kidnapping. The altar. His connection to General Zod. Tess had chosen him to serve as his father's vessel. And posing such a large threat to the world, Clark would be forced to kill him in order to save everyone else...and he would never see Chloe again. Davis would never have the chance to tell her that he loves her one more time, or make the life he wanted have to with her as husband and wife. They would never raise a big family or grow old together. He would either destroy the world his father wanted to take as his own or be destroyed by the only one who could stop his father's evil plots: Clark.

"It was always your destiny to be killed at the hands of Clark Kent. The only course of action I'm taking to change the story of your demise is charging him with the responsibility to end Zod's life along with yours."

"No..." he whispered weakly, shaking his head. "You can't do this.... Clark will never.... I can't lose Chloe.... I can't lose her after everything we've been through. Please.... _I love her_...."

"I'm sorry," she said apologetically. Placing her hand over the silver case, she lifted the lid and the purple Orb emerged, glowing brightly.

"_It is time_, _my son_," a voice from within the alien technology spoke out, levitating towards the altar.

"Davis!" Clark yelled out after he and Tess heard him super-speed into the Fortress.

But it was too late.

Now hovering over Davis' body, the Orb shot a purple energy beam onto his chest. He screamed out in agony, feeling another presence taking over his mind as the light from the high energy beam grew brighter. It eventually grew so blindingly bright that Clark and Tess were forced to turn away until the screaming and sound of the blast suddenly came to a halt. When they looked back, the Orb was gone. Davis was still lying on the altar, lifeless. Ignoring Tess, Clark ran over to his friend, who was now unconscious, then shook his shoulders lightly in attempt to revive him.

"Davis," he called out his name, but got no response. The farm boy was about to say it once more when he unexpectedly heard the sound of a chain break and felt a hand around his throat, beginning to choke him from superhuman strength. Struggling to break free from the iron grip, Clark saw his eyes snap open, the color of them was a deep shade of violet before reverting back to their original state of chocolate brown, and watched as his lips curl into a smirk.

"Davis Bloome is dead."

* * *

**Duh, duh, duh!!! **

_**Please review!!!**_


	5. 9x02 Part II: Monster

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, I still don't own anything.

**Author note: **"_Kneel before Zod!_" Lol! I'm just kidding. In all seriousness though, if Callum Blue ever knocks on your door, I would suggest doing that. Lol! You never know... He might actually like it since he's playing the role of Zod on SV now. :) Anyways, thanks for all of the support from everyone who reviewed my previous chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Five: **Monster

"Davis Bloome is dead."

Clark, choking from the vise grip Zod had around his throat, heard the words pour from Davis' lips. It was his voice, but not him. What had Tess done to him? He suddenly heard the sound of another chain break before Clark felt himself being pushed clear across the Fortress until he crash landed into several black crystals.

Zod effortlessly broke free from the rest of the chains that had his son's body bound to the altar. He immediately saw Tess standing only a couple of yards away. She was utterly speechless. Her plan had succeed. Her quest to make Clark face his greatest challenge in order to save mankind was finally here. But not more than a moment had past after she locked eyes with Davis did she see him super-speed towards her, felt his hand grip around her throat, and was lifted off the ground, legs dangling in the air as Zod began choking her to death.

"I knew a primitive like you would fall prey to my lies," he looked up at her with a smile, enjoying the fact that he held her every breath in his hand and could end her life in a split second. "That was why I chose you. I knew once you found the Orb, you'd take the bait and help release me."

"Let her go!" Clark yelled out.

Zod turned his head to see his greatest rival's son looking at him with determination and anger in his eyes. The same as Jor-El's. Releasing Tess from his grip, the redhead helplessly fell to the ground, gasping for breath.

"You've still got that same look in your eye."

"Who are you? What have you done with Davis?"

The general couldn't help but smirk, humorously surprised to see that the last son of Krypton hadn't figured it out yet. "Don't you recognize me, Kal-El? Or is three years too long for you to remember an old friend?"

Stunned into silence, Clark couldn't believe who it was. Destroyer of his home planet. The very reason his parents were dead. The last Kryptonian he ever expected to return. The same one who possessed Lex three years ago.

"Zod."

"You may have defeated me the last time I was on Earth, but nothing will stop me from taking this planet as my own now."

"I stopped you once before and I'll do it again."

"Idealistic fool. You invited me here when you separated my son from his other half, thereby allowing me to possess his human form."

"Davis is your son?"

"My greatest creation. Faora and I knew Jor-El would send you to Earth to save mankind from the same fate as Krypton, so we smuggled the genetic matter we created to the back of your spacecraft. Davis Bloome was merely camouflage to the beast until his transformation was complete and Doomsday was finally strong enough to destroy you, as well as every other living creature on this planet. But time on Earth turned him into such a pathetic weakling. It gave him human emotions, just as it did with you."

"Davis did everything he could to stop Doomsday from killing innocent lives. Living on Earth made him someone worth saving in spite of what you wanted him to be, so I won't give up until he's free from your control and you're back in the Phantom Zone for all eternity."

Zod darkly gazed upon him. "We'll see about that."

Before Clark could say anything, Zod raised his right arm to the sky, then flew out of the Fortress in lightning speed. As pieces of the ice castle fell to the ground upon his departure, Clark looked up, anger building inside of him. He had absolutely no idea where the Kryptonian general was going or what he was planning now that he was free again.

But he knew someone who might.

Tess had just gotten herself off the ground when she suddenly felt Clark's hands grab ahold of her arms and pull her closer to him, glaring into her eyes with burning rage.

"You brought him back, didn't you? _Didn't you?!_"

"Yes," she spoke out weakly, still trying to recover from when Zod was choking her. "I did it for you."

"Me?" he questioned her, flabbergasted. "Do you have any idea what you've just done?"

"Yes, I do. I know he committed crimes that led to the destruction of your home planet."

Clark, shocked that she knew this information, let her go as his facial expression quickly softened. "You...You know about Krypton?"

"I know everything about you, Clark. I've known for months now. That's why I've been trying so desperately to make face your destiny."

"You mean kill Davis."

"It was your responsibility as the world's savior to stop its ultimate destroyer."

"You don't know what my destiny is, so stop trying to act like my mentor."

"It's not like you haven't had mentors to help put you on the right path in the past. I know for a fact that before their untimely deaths, you turned to Dr. Virgil Swann and Lionel Luthor for guidance. You can't pretend to be somebody you aren't anymore, though, Naman."

More angry than surprised that Tess knew the name of the Kawachte's mythical savior, he yelled out, "Don't call me that!"

"Denial may be your strongest ability after keeping your powers a secret from the rest of the world all these years, but we both know you're Naman and Davis was Sageeth. Now that you've separated him from Doomsday and changed the prophecy, Zod has taken his son's place as your greatest challenge to overcome."

"Your obsession over me has released a monster! He destroyed Krypton and now he's gonna try to do the same thing with Earth because of you!"

"Not if you stop him first. You did it once before when Zod possessed Lex's body during Dark Thursday."

"I won't kill Davis in order to defeat him this time."

"Then how will you defeat his father? Because if I recall correctly, wasn't your red crystal destroyed just after Chloe's wedding?"

"How do you even know—?"

"Face it, Clark, you don't have any other choice but to kill him."

"I can't believe you used Davis as a pawn to bring General Zod back. You're just as much a murderer as he is."

"The Orb would've released him had you killed Davis when he was still Doomsday's host. No matter what decision you chose, Zod was eventually going to return to Earth. It was only a matter of time before he rose from the ashes to seek his revenge again."

"What, so am I supposed to thank you for bringing him back yourself?"

"It was the only way I knew you would finally face who you really are."

"You don't know who I am!"

"Well, we can argue over that till kingdom come, but the truth is I released him for more reasons than just to see you become the world's greatest savior."

"What do you mean?"

"Once I had the Orb in my possession, I decided to do a little research on Krypton's Most Wanted and find out what I was really dealing with. I interrogated the men Lex hired to help him unlock the technology inside it until I reached a dead end. Luckily, I found another journal Lionel had kept before he died containing information on Zod and every other prisoner who escaped from the Phantom Zone the first time you were sent there. It wasn't hard to figure out that Zod would have been willing to promise me just about anything in order to be free. He thinks I believed everything he told me, but by agreeing to help him, I was able to gain knowledge of the evil doer's plans. And I believe there's one bullet point on his world-dominating agenda you might be interested in accomplishing yourself."

"Zod killed my parents. He destroyed my entire race. What goal of his would I possibly want to accomplish as well?"

"Finding a lost civilization from your home planet that may have survived the explosion. He promised if I released him, we would be able to save Kandor."

"Kandor?" the red-jacketed and blue-shirted clad farm boy repeated, perplexed by this newfound information. "The city where my bloodline lived on Krypton?"

"Yes."

"That doesn't make any sense. Why would Zod want to find Kandor when he was the one who destroyed Krypton?"

The redhead smirked, taking pleasure in the fact that the she currently held the upper hand in the situation she had forced them into. "It's rather simple, actually."

Clark's patience with Tess was growing thinner every second. He didn't trust her. He was furious with her for releasing Zod. But he still needed her. She had information about Zod and his connection to Kandor. Information that could help him save the lost city Kara was still searching for.

"The only reason why I believe anything you say," he said in an icy tone, "is because my cousin was trapped in the Phantom Zone last year. She heard rumors that the city may still exist while she was there, then left Smallville in search for it. Now tell me everything you know. Why does he want to find Kandor?"

"After he obtains the key he needs to open a secret time-traveling portal, Zod plans to release his Kryptonian army from Kandor and take over the earth."

His eyes widened in shock. "No, there has to be a way to stop him from opening that portal and releasing his army."

"There is. You have to kill Davis."

"I'll never do that," he replied in an angry tone, staring deep into her eyes. "No matter what threat Zod poses, I'll never take Davis' life. There's always another way."

"Then you're risking the fate of everyone on this planet by not destroying him."

"I wasn't the one who released Zod! If anyone's going to have blood on their hands, it's you, Tess."

"I was only trying to help you become the hero I know you're meant be. You'll never move forward in your journey until you take a life, Clark. Sacrificing one life for the greater good is the test every hero must eventually face. You can't escape it."

* * *

"Thanks again for getting me in here, Oliver," Chloe said to him as they walked into the study of the Luthor mansion. "Since I'm not exactly at the top of Tess' visitors list, I don't think her security people would've let me walk through the front door without some persuasion."

"Just one of the perks of being business partners with LuthorCorp," he replied back while watching her run straight for Tess' desk and start looking through the files on her computer. "But what's makes you think we're gonna find anything here, Chloe?"

She stopped typing and looked up at him from the screen. "If Tess is holding Davis captive in the Fortress for any extraterrestrial-related reasons, I need to know what they are. I can't just sit idly by and wait for news from Clark. He had no idea what he was walking into when he left us at the farm, so I'm gonna do whatever I can to help them both."

"By hacking into Tess' computer files? C'mon, Chloe. Do you really think whatever Mercy is planning to do with Davis up at the North Pole, she would just leave a file of it that says 'My Evil Scheme' on her laptop at home?"

"Look, Oliver, I know you and I haven't exactly seen eye-to-eye on this whole Davis-Tess situation, but you need take off your superhero shades and see what's right in front of your face. Your ex-girlfriend is a manipulative corporate witch who's been obsessing over Clark ever since she came to Smallville. So get some perspective, face reality, and help me look for clues."

"Perspective? Chloe, you're the last person who should be giving me a morality lesson. You're the one who wanted to become an official member of the Justice League, then stabbed me and everyone else on the team in the back by protecting a serial killer who was supposedly destined to kill Clark. Now you expect me to get on the Amber Alert bandwagon with you and help find the guy? Forget it."

The ex-reporter couldn't help but feel a sting of guilt from her friend's words. "I know Davis made some mistakes in the past, but he's still a good person. He never wanted to hurt anyone."

The billionaire rolled his eyes and let out a sigh. "You know, I really gotta hand it to you, Chloe. You've actually proved that fairy tales can come true. Beauty was the only one who could see good in the Beast. I guess that just makes me another angry villager with a torch and pitchfork out to get him, huh?"

"While part of me admires your literary analysis by comparing my relationship with Davis to a Charlotte Brontë novel," she said sarcastically, "there's more to him than—"

"Don't waste your breath trying to make up excuses for that psychopath, because I'm done listening to them. The guy deserves to go to prison for the crimes he's committed. He killed more than fifty people and put Jimmy in the hospital for five weeks. I mean, what's it gonna take for you and Clark see what the rest of us see in him? Yeah, I know seeing the good in people is what you've always tried to do so wouldn't have to take a harsh look at reality, but sometimes you don't have a choice. There is a dark side to humanity, Chloe. Davis is it. He's a monster. And you've been lying to yourself this whole time if you think he isn't."

"Okay, you want to talk honesty, Robin Hood?" she retorted, as walked over to him from the glass desk. "I'll admit that being with Davis ever since I found out he was the host to Doomsday hasn't been easy. I'll even admit that when I left Smallville with him, it was mostly to protect Clark. But he needed me, Oliver. He _truly_ needed me in order to remain human. And until you brought us back to Metropolis and I split him from from his alter ego with the Black K, I was his only cure. I was the only one who could keep the beast at bay. So I did one of the hardest thing I've ever had to do, I left Smallville to protect Clark. But after we left and we were finally out of the meteor freak capital of the world, I began to see sides of Davis I never knew existed."

"What, you learned drug addicts and bank robbers weren't his only choice of victims?"

"All Davis ever wanted to do was save lives as a paramedic. He didn't ask to be born harboring a monster inside himself."

"Yeah, well, forgive me for saying this, Jane Eyre, but your boyfriend's methods for dealing with his inner beast weren't exactly heroics ones."

"He's done some unforgivable things, I'm not denying that. It doesn't change the way I feel about him, though."

Oliver was about to make another argumentative response when he heard footsteps approaching the office. Davis appeared in the doorway wearing black dress pants, t-shirt, boots, trench coat, and a pair of silver dog tags around his neck. Relieved to see that he wasn't hurt, yet completely surprised to see him dressed like that, Chloe almost couldn't believe he was in the mansion, let alone in Smallville after she thought Tess had taken him up to the Fortress.

"Davis?"

"Where's Clark?" Oliver wondered as he walked over to him. "He went up to the Arctic looking for you almost two hours ago."

With a single swing of his hand, Zod sent Ollie flying across the room until his back hit one of the bookcases. Knocked unconscious, he collapsed on the floor as a small pile of books fell on top of him.

"Oliver!" Chloe cried out. Just when she was about to run over to her friend, Zod grabbed her right arm and twisted her around to face him, easily holding her in place with one hand.

Struggling to release herself from his tight grip, "Davis, what is the matter with you? How were you even able to—?"

"Davis is dead," he informed her with a calm yet military-like commanding tone.

She looked down at the dog tags around his neck and saw the "Z" symbol she had seen so many times before. The blood in her veins turned ice cold when she realized the Kryptonian general had taken over Davis' body, just like Brainiac had done to her.

"You're Zod," she breathed out in just above a whisper. "Tess took Davis to the Fortress, didn't she? And—"

"Kal-El was too late to save him."

"Clark... What did you do to him?"

"Nothing compared to what I'll do this planet."

"No, no," she shook her head, not wanting to believe his words. "Davis, I know you're still in there. Please, you have to fight it. Don't let him control you."

"I told you, my son is dead."

_His son_? Davis was Zod's son? Really thinking about it, though, everything about his origins finally made sense. The last pieces of the puzzle were put in place. That's why his wife let her go and Clark found her at Metropolis General Hospital. Faora saw Davis' picture in that file the night she possessed Lois' body and went to him because he was the son she was looking for. But how could Davis be the son of a Kryptonian who killed an entire race of people? It would definitely explain his alter ego's mission to kill Clark and destroy Earth. Blood, death, destruction; it was in his DNA. That wasn't what he wanted, though. Davis was a good person. A victim who had no control over the beast inside himself. He never wanted to be a monster.

"I know he's still in there somewhere, or else you would've chucked me across the room too."

Releasing her arm from his grasp, Zod studied Chloe sharply, intrigued by this particular human pest his son had such strong feelings for. A single shining jewel in the sky compared to the other females of her worthless kind. Her fighting spirit was unlike any other he had ever come across. Boundless. There was something about this girl that grabbed his attention in such a way he never thought was feasible. A strong attraction to darkness fed her curiosity for the strange and unexplained. Smart, fierce, compassionate, and independent: She was the one he wanted. The one who will help him continue his legacy—after he acquired from her the information he needed to complete his mission.

"You had feelings for my son, didn't you, Chloe Sullivan?"

Stepping away from him, "How do you know my name?"

"When I took possession of his body, I also received all of my son's memories. The ones he cherished most were of you, the one primitive who he thought could stop the dark path I sent him on."

"Did it surprise you to see how the power of love could conquer the beast?"

"It showed me how weak he truly was," he retorted, angered by Davis' failure. He suddenly came to a pause. Still entranced by her whole presence, Zod stepped toward her, gazing down upon Chloe with rapt fascination. "But keeping his memories when I consumed his essence also proved to be very useful."

"With what?"

"Finding a female from the human species worthy enough to provide me an heir."

Her green eyes widened in fear, utterly speechless.

"Once I've gotten rid of every living creature on this planet, I will finish what I started. Recreate Krypton into an empire, ruled by the bloodline of Zod."

"I'll never help you..." she whispered to him with as much venom she could muster.

"Do you really think I'm giving you a choice?" he asked, forcibly holding her chin up to look him in the eye. "Stand by my side as my queen and I'll spare the ones you love most."

"I love Davis."

"Your feelings for him mean nothing to me. And neither will your life if you do anything to stand in my way."

After he let go of her chin, Zod then circled her with an intense gaze until he stopped at her backside. Sending shivers down her spine, the thought of being his prey sickened her. Chloe wanted nothing more than to run as far away from this monster who inhabited Davis' body as possible, but knew no matter how fast she ran, he would catch her the second she started running. She wanted Clark to rush in the room and save her like he always did, but had no idea where he was or if he was even all right. She would've given anything to look into Davis' brown eyes, hear his voice speaking so sweetly to her, and know that it's him again.

* * *

"_Maybe it's sleep deprivation,_" Chloe said to Davis while they were stargazing in Edge City on the hood of their latest rental car, "_but I can't exactly see a toga-clad woman in those stars up there._"

"_It's Demeter_," he informed her. "_Her daughter, Persephone, was taken by Hades to the underworld. And Demeter, she enlisted the gods' help to find her daughter, but when Hades offered Persephone her chance at freedom, to everyone's surprise, Persephone chose to live underground with the dark prince._"

Davis suddenly let out a light chuckle after he was finished telling his favorite tale from the Greek mythology. "_We're actually gonna pull this off, aren't we_?" He made a quick pause to look at her, his facial expression soft, as she turned over on her side to face him better. "_Find some place to slow down and build a life together._"

Chloe couldn't help but smile at the thought. "_As long as we can keep the gods from hunting us._"

* * *

"The fate of your primitive race is doomed," the sound of Davis' voice inhabited by Zod brought her back to the present. "But I'm offering you and those closest to you the chance to live if you give me what I desire."

Turning around, she spoke in a dangerously low tone of voice, "I won't do anything for you."

Patience lost, he grabbed Chloe by the throat and lifted her off the ground. "Tell me where Kal-El's octagonal key is, or you'll die with all the rest."

"I can't breathe," she choked out hoarsely.

About to throw her across the room, the sound of glass shattering stopped the general from doing just that. He looked up to see the red and purple stain glass window broken, pieces scattered everywhere on the floor beneath it. Then, not more than a couple of seconds after the noise came to his attention, Zod heard a swoosh sound, felt a small gust of wind blow past him—and Chloe was gone! Perplexed, he turned around only to find her sitting on the ground in front of the doorway, gasping for breath, beside a young woman in her early twenties. She had long, curly blonde hair, wearing a blue jacket, red halter top, jean shorts, red leather boots...and the Kryptonian "S" shield on a silver chain around her neck.

_The blood of the House of El ran through her veins._

"Zor-El's daughter."

Kara stared at him, unflinching courage shining in her eyes. "General Zod."

"You survived."

"I'm sorry the same won't be said about you."

She super-sped straight towards Davis, and with one high kick, sent him flying through the broken window.

* * *

**Author note:** Okay, I have to admit Zod's dialogue was _not_ easy to write, which made this one of the hardest chapters to piece together so far. Although rewatching episodes like "Vessel" and "Zod" definitely helped me out. :) For those of you who didn't enjoy the Chloe/Zod interaction, I'm really sorry about that—but this _is_ General Zod we're talking about. He does have a tendency to go after the woman who's in love with man he's inhabited on SV. I only hope Kara's kick-ass entrance in the story made you feel better. Lol!

_**Please review!**_


	6. 9x02 Part III: Reappearance

**Disclaimer: **Yeah, I still don't own SV. Darn it!

**Author note: **Thank you so, so much to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. I was very pleased to see most reviewers enjoyed Kara/Supergirl's entrance into the story. I've been dying to add her in ever since the first chapter, but the end of "Monster" felt like the right time to bring her back to SV. :) Anyways, I hope you like where my Chlavis story is going and enjoy the next chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Six:** Reappearance

With a single kick from her superhuman strength, Kara sent Zod flying through the broken stained-glass window she had just flown through. The blonde Kryptonian was about to go after him when she heard a sudden whoosh sound behind her.

"Chloe, are you all right?" she heard Clark's voice, who was concerned over his best friend's current condition when he saw her sitting on the floor and gasping for breath. "What happened to you?"

"Zod..." she spoke out weakly, still trying to regain her strength as Clark helped her up. "He's back, and he's taken control over Davis."

"I know. Tess released him from the Orb that Lex used to destroy the Fortress. I have to find him before he hurts anyone else, but you need to see a doctor first."

"No, don't...don't worry about me, Clark. I'll be fine, thanks to Kara. She saved me from Zod right before he was about to squeeze all the air out of my lungs."

"Kara?" the red and blue clad farm boy repeated in confusion. He turned around and saw her standing just in front of Tess' glass desk. "Kara."

"Kal-El," she breathed out happily, smiling before rushing into his arms. "I'm so glad you're safe."

Even though Clark was thrilled to see his cousin again, he had to wonder why she was here. Letting her go, he asked, "How did you know Zod was on Earth again? Is that why you came back?"

"When Zod possessed that human, I immediately recognized the sound of his beacon and came back to Earth to help you defeat him."

"Well, you definitely picked the best time to show up for a family reunion considering our lack of options for getting rid of the alien Adolf Hitler," Chloe chimed in.

"Why?"

"Because John Jones' red crystal was destroyed last year by a 31st century terrorist," Clark informed her.

"How did a 31st century terrorist—?"

"That's a story for another time," the ex-reporter cut in before her best friend could say anything. "Right now we need to figure out a way to cut Davis loose from his dear old dad's puppet strings before we see Dark Thursday: Part Two all over the world."

"Davis, he's the human General Zod has possessed?" Kara inquired, wondering how and why this particular person was connected to her cousin.

"Except he's not human," Clark admitted truthfully. "At least, he wasn't until a few days ago."

"What do you mean, Kal-El?"

"Davis is from Krypton too."

"He's also my boyfriend," Chloe added.

Completely perplexed by this news, Kara was not only was she stunned to learn another Kryptonian lived on Earth, she almost couldn't believe he was Chloe's boyfriend—especially when the last time she was in Smallville, her cousin's best friend was only a couple of weeks away from marrying Jimmy. "I thought you and Jimmy were supposed to get married. Did you cancel the wedding?"

"No, we did get married. Then we got divorced after I took Davis' side when Jimmy accused him of being a serial killer...which actually turned out to be true."

Awkward tension quickly filled the room, so Clark decided to switch the subject back before his cousin could ask any more questions about Chloe's breakup. "Kara, Davis is Zod's son. That's why he chose him to be his vessel. And Lex Luthor's successor, Tess Mercer, told me he's after some sort of key that's supposed to open a secret time-traveling portal and release his army from Kandor."

"So the rumors I heard in the Phantom Zone were true. Kandor still exists somewhere in the universe."

"There's something I still don't understand," Clark spoke up once more. "Why did Zod come to the mansion and attack you, Chloe?"

"Well, in the short version, he knocked out Oliver, told me I had no choice but to become his queen so I would provide him an heir, then almost choked me to death when I refused to do his bidding. But before Kara came to my rescue and kicked him into the next county, I was able to find out exactly what he was after."

"What is he looking for?"

"The key. He's searching for your key, Clark."

"From my spaceship?"

The blonde nodded. "I think that's why he specifically came after me in the first place, because Zod has all of Davis' memories. He must've seen me using the key when I came to the Fortress to stop you from sending Davis to the Phantom Zone through his memories, and thought I still had it or knew where it was."

"Where is it now? Do you still have it?"

"No. I put it back in your book next to the toolbox in your barn after we left the Kawachte Caves. Davis wasn't with me when I made the drop-off though, so Zod shouldn't know it's there."

"I have to go to the barn and get the key before he connects the dots and figures out it's there."

"Then what? I don't want put the safety of the world at risk, but I don't want anything to happen to Davis, either."

"Neither do I," he agreed and he grabbed onto her shoulders, looking straight into her green eyes. "No matter what happens, I promise Kara and I will figure out a way to stop Zod without harming Davis. We'll bring him back somehow."

She gave her best friend a small smile of confidence. "I know you will. I have faith in both of you. Just promise me you'll be careful."

Clark nodded to assure her they would be. "Take care of Oliver."

Not more than a second or two later, Chloe felt a gust of wind blow by as the Kryptonian cousins super-sped out of the library and were gone.

* * *

Clark and Kara arrived in the barn only a moment after leaving Chloe at the Luthor mansion. Clark immediately went to the red toolbox, grabbed the old blue book where he now kept the key hidden, and his eyes widened in shock when he saw that the metallic, octagonal key wasn't there.

"Looking for this, Kal-El?" spoke a calm, commanding voice from somewhere near. Clark and Kara turned around and looked up to see Davis standing in the loft, holding the key in his right hand.

Clenching his fists to keep his anger under control, the red and blue clad farm boy stepped forward. "That key doesn't belong to you, Zod. Give it back."

"General Zod doesn't take orders from anyone, he gives them." Not more than a second later Zod disappeared from the loft and stood in front of them. "Once I've opened the portal to Kandor with this key and release my soldiers, I'll finally complete the mission I started long ago. I will obliterate every living creature on this pathetic planet and recreate Krypton into a powerful empire, ruled by the House of Zod. And there's nothing either of you can do to stop me."

"We will stop you."

"Your feeble-minded determination to save Earth from ultimate destruction is no greater than your father's was towards Krypton. And in the end he failed, just as you will."

"I'll never let you destroy this planet."

"Even with the lives of your loved ones at stake?" Zod smirked when he saw that small quiver of fear behind Clark's eyes. "Your concern and devotion to the primitives of this planet is what makes you weak, Kal-El. By accepting their way of life as your own and allowing human emotions to cloud your judgment, you open yourself up to the same kinds of vulnerabilities. So I know you would feel no pain greater than to see those you love most in agony. But if you both join me, I shall allow them to live."

"Kal-El and I will never submit ourselves to a monster like you," Kara retorted, her eyes blazing with anger.

"Then everyone you care about will be the first to die."

"I'll never let you hurt them," Clark spoke out in just above a whisper, vehemently, before charging towards the Kryptonian general with his superspeed.

With his superstrength, he thrust his right arm forward, where the palm of his hand hit Davis' chest and sent his body flying through the closed barn door. After Zod hit the dirt ground, the key immediately fell out of his hand. Taking his chance to grab it, Clark raced straight for the object. He bent down to pick up the octagonal key, but just before his hand touched it, Zod used his heat vision and Clark went through the loft window, crashed into the wood flooring until he finally landed on his family's tractor.

"Kal-El!" Kara yelled out to her cousin in concern.

She was about to go to him when she suddenly felt a large stack of hay crash into her body and hit the opposite wall of the barn.

"No one makes a fool out of General Zod," Clark heard Davis' voice while turning his head to see if Kara was all right.

To his immense relief, he saw her quickly chuck the hay off to the side with her superhuman strength and pick herself up. Then Clark, ignoring the fact that there was a gigantic hole burnt into his blue shirt from the heat vision, raced towards his father's archenemy again with more rage this time for attacking Kara. He grabbed fistfuls of his black shirt and threw him halfway across the barn and into an empty horse stall.

"You can't win, Zod," Clark said, just as his cousin came over to stand beside him. "No matter where you go with that key, Kara and I follow you and stop what you're planning to do."

"You never knew of its true power, did you, Kal-El?" Zod questioned the farm boy, who now stood in front of the duo once more. "The key has been in your possession all this time, only to learn now that you could've brought back Kandor with it. Trapped in that orb for over a year was almost worth finding out Jor-El's lack of faith in his son was greater than I thought."

"That doesn't matter. The only thing that does matter to me right now is freeing Davis from your control and sending you back to the Phantom Zone where you belong."

"Davis is dead," Zod shot back at him, "and soon the rest of this planet will be too."

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Tess' voice chimed into the conversation before Clark and Kara saw her point a black, diamond-shaped crystal at Davis. A buzzing, bright red energy was emitted from the object and the beam hit Davis' chest in a flash. As he felt his spirit being ripped away from his son's body, Zod screamed out in pain until he was wholly trapped inside the crystal. A small moan passed through the former EMT's lips before his eyes closed, lost consciousness, and immediately fell to the ground with the key lightly clutched in his hand. While Kara bent down to see if he was okay, Clark stared at the LuthorCorp CEO in bewilderment.

"Where did you find a crystal?"

The redhead couldn't help but give him a smile of satisfaction. "We all keep secrets for a reason, Clark. You should know that better than anyone."

"But you—you saved him. First, you release Zod, and now this? Why?"

"Because I learned today that you're still not ready to fulfill your destiny. It's too early. I know now, though, that when the time is right, you'll do what needs to be done to save mankind from the same fate as Krypton and become the hero this world needs."

"I'll never be who you want me to be, Tess. It's not your choice to make."

"It's too early," she repeated before slipping the crystal in the front pocket of her cream-colored coat. "Just know that I'll be there to support you when you're ready to face your greatest challenge and accept who you really are, Kal-El."

Not saying another word to each other, Clark silently watched Tess turn around and exit the barn in peace.

"You let her leave with that crystal?" his cousin asked when she came up to stand beside him again.

"I had to, Kara," he informed her. "She knows everything about us. I couldn't give her a reason to exploit our powers to the world or drag Davis away to be arrested by the police."

"In her own weird way, she must really care about you to do what she did just now. But you still don't trust her, do you, Clark?"

"No," he shook his head. "After what she's put Davis through to make me believe I'm Earth's alien Jesus, I'll never trust Tess Mercer again."

* * *

"Is he going to be all right, Emil?" Chloe asked, just as Dr. Hamilton finished his examination of Davis in Clark's living room the very next day.

"With everything he's been through lately, I'm surprised Davis is doing this well. His blood pressure is normal and pulse is strong. Although his muscles will probably be very sore for a few days after what his body through when he took on his father's powers, so he'll really need to take it easy for about a week."

The ex-paramedic let out a small sigh after Emil finished making his diagnosis and recommendation. "I could've told you that, doc."

Clark and Kara smiled at each other while Chloe and Davis, who were sitting together on the couch, did the same before she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Davis. When I found out Zod was inhabiting your body, for a moment there I thought I lost you."

"The last thing I remember before he took over me was how I may never see you again, or tell you how much I love you. After everything we've been through together, all I want now is to be with you and share my life with you, Chloe."

"I want that too," she admitted sincerely. Hand cupping his cheek, the blonde leaned in once more to kiss his lips and he kissed her back. The couple continued kissing for several more seconds until they heard Clark clearing his throat, which caused them to stop and look up at him.

Kara lightly pushed her cousin aside and said, "Don't mind Kal-El's immaturity. However, I do believe Davis and I were never properly introduced."

"Oh, you're absolutely right," Chloe agreed, then helped her boyfriend up off the couch.

Clark stepped past his cousin and Emil to stand beside Davis. "Kara, I'd like to meet my brother."

Bewildered by her cousin's statement, she interjected, "But, Kal-El, you don't have—"

"If my adoptative parents had found Davis with me in that cornfield during the meteor shower, I know we would have been raised together as brothers. Blood doesn't matter."

Staring at him for a moment, the female Kryptonian could tell her cousin was being very serious and meant every word he just said. She nodded her head before turning her attention back onto Davis. "I guess that means we're cousins, then."

"Guys..." Davis sighed out in disappointment, "just because we come from the same planet, doesn't mean we're family. I'm the son of General Zod, destroyer of Krypton, remember? I would've done the same thing to Earth too, if it hadn't been for Clark and Chloe. I killed dozens of Metropolis' Most Wanted to keep the beast at bay. You shouldn't think of me as part of your family or want it either."

He looked down at the ground in shame until he heard footsteps moving closer to him. Kara's. She stepped forward, causing him to look up at her.

"I may not be like you and Kal-El in the sense that I didn't grow up on this planet and wasn't raised by humans, but if there's one thing I've learned since I've been here, it's this: No one is perfect. We all have our faults, make mistakes, and do things that we regret. We can't let them stop us from seeing all the good we do, though."

"Yeah, but I've—"

"Davis, I know exactly where you're coming from. My father, Zor-El, wanted to take over this planet, just like yours did. He even tried to kill my uncle, Clark's father, because he was in love with my aunt Lara and thought he stole her from him." Kara made a brief pause while he looked at her with furrowed eyebrows, surprised to learn that Clark's family tree was almost as twisted as his own. "You can't let the guilt of your father's evil acts be past down to you. You don't have be his son any more than I have to be Zor-El's daughter."

"She's right, Davis," Chloe agreed. "Just because he's the one who created you, that doesn't mean you'll be just like him."

"Clark told me about Doomsday," Kara continued, "and about everything you did to repress the beast from killing innocent lives. I can only imagine how great the personal cost was to do what you did. But I also know your reasons for committing those crimes came from someplace good in your heart, and that's what separates you from Zod. You obviously love Chloe very much, and you must care about the human race a great deal to have become a paramedic. You're a good person, you're my cousin, and I promise I will stand by you, Chloe and Clark until the very end. You're not alone in this."

Clark placed his hand on Davis' left shoulder and said, "We'll get through this together as a family, whether you like it or not."

Davis couldn't help but smile at his Kryptonian brother and cousin. "You're not going to make me wear plaid and primary colors because I'm living here with you guys, right?"

Emil, Kara, Chloe, and Clark all chuckled and grinned at the remark, the latter two relieved that their troubles from the past couple of weeks was finally behind them and could hopefully look to a happier future with their loved ones.

* * *

After spending countless hours studying the small, black diamond-shaped crystal that exorcised General Zod from Davis' body, it was close to ten o'clock that night when Tess finally decide to leave her office and go to bed. As she carefully placed the crystal in a silver box that was set on the right hand corner of her glass desk, the LuthorCorp CEO reminisced over her successful efforts to convince Dr. Groll and his team of scientists to create the advanced technology in case the threat of an alien invasion came to Earth. Lex had always taught her to have a backup plan—an option she didn't want to resort to when she came to the Kent Farm but proved to be useful under the circumstances, since Clark wasn't ready to fulfill his Kryptonian destiny yet. She would be ready to help him when the time though, Tess promised herself. Just as Dr. Virgil Swann and Lionel Luthor left their worldly billionaire legacies to devote themselves to Clark and help make him the hero he will eventually become, she vowed to one day do the same for him.

"He just needs more time," Tess said out loud to herself, as she closed the box containing the crystal.

She got out of her black chair and was about to leave the office when the redhead suddenly heard a ringing sound from behind. She turned around to find the lid of her silver box blast open, the crystal emerge from it on its own, just as the Orb did, and begin to glow red. Tess cautiously moved towards the levitating object with shallow breathing, utterly perplexed as to what was happening. She wanted to do something—anything—to stop this supernatural occurrence, but in her speechless, entranced state, nothing came to mind. The blood red glow from the black crystal grew brighter the closer Tess got it. Her conscience was screaming at her to run away—to do anything but walk closer the foreign object—yet her body wouldn't allow it. How could she when its spellbinding mystique was calling out to her so?

Once she was only a few feet away from her desk, frightfully mesmerized, Tess found herself standing still and watched the crystal continue to glow brighter until a beam of its dark energy shot straight through the young woman's body.

Two of her security guards immediately came running when they heard Tess' bloodcurdling scream, but as soon as they entered the room and saw what was happening to their boss, two bolts of energy from the beam struck their bodies and rendered them unconscious.

Only a few seconds later Tess' eyelids snapped open, shining bright red for several moments while a black "Z" symbol begin to appear right behind her, then closed again when the beam suddenly came to a halt. Moaning in excruciating pain, she finally fell to the floor before slipping into unconsciousness. As the energy from the "Z" symbol gradually began to shrink away into nothing, a tall, dark male figure with reddish brown hair, dressed in all black attire, emerged from the portal. Smirking in satisfaction, he held out his hand to grab the crystal when it came to him, then stared down at the human pest who would help him bring this planet to its knees and begin a new one_..._**.**

* * *

Callum Blue, anyone?

**Author note:** Okay, so Zod is far from defeated, Davis is still wanted for murder as the Cornfield Killer, and Clark has yet to become Superman. I guess that means the men in my story sure have their work cut out for them, huh? Lol! But I promise all Chlavis fans will _really_ enjoy the next chapter. :) There's plenty more drama and _a lot_ more romance coming up in the newest arc of the story, so please keep sending me your feedback because I love to hear your thoughts.

_**Please review!!! **_


	7. 9x03: Romantic

**Disclaimer:** I still own nothing. Dang it!

**Author note: **OMG! I have been dying to write and post this chapter since, like, I finished writing the first one. Lol! If the title hasn't already given it away, this is the very first chapter to have nothing but romance and no one but Chloe and Davis in it. :D Anyways, I hope all of you enjoy this chapter, and I would once again like to thank everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. Thank you for all of the wonderful support!

* * *

**Chapter Seven:** Romantic

"Well, just try and take it easy on Clark at the _Planet_ tomorrow, okay, Lois?" Chloe smiled, as she talked to her cousin on her cell and locked up the front doors of the _Talon_ after her long day at the _Isis Foundation_. "Yeah, I know punctuality has never been one of our favorite farm boy's strong suits, but look at what's on his plate right now. He's been running the farm, burning the midnight oil with Kara and I to clear Davis' name, yet still makes time to try and land every major story that blows through Metropolis with you." The blonde laughed while she listened to Lois' reply. "All right, I'll talk to you later. Bye, Lo."

After Chloe pressed the "End" button on her cell phone, she turned around to head upstairs for a hot shower...only to find Davis standing twenty-five feet in front of her with sweet smile and candlelit dinner behind him. The blonde couldn't help but be a little surprised, not only by the fact that he was there but by his romantic gesture. Yet her small gasp quickly turned into an invitingly warm smile of affection for the lovely surprise he had obviously planned out for her.

"I was hoping you'd be here soon," he grinned before letting out a light chuckle and blush. "I didn't want the food to get cold, but a reliable source told me that you're usually home by 5:30."

Chloe smiled. "I guess your secret source was correct."

Not failing to notice Davis was also fashionably dressed for the romantic occasion, her green eyes scanned his whole attire. He was wearing freshly polished black dress shoes, black slacks, a black and blue vertically-striped dress shirt and a silky black tie. She, on the other hand, was wearing black slacks with a button-up sun yellow blouse, three-inch black heels, clutching a black leather purse that was slung over her shoulder, and holding her cell phone in her right hand.

"You know, if I had known about this beforehand, I would have—"

"You look beautiful, Chloe," he stopped her, knowing exactly what she was going to say. "You always look beautiful."

Now it was her turn to blush.

After setting her black leather purse and cell phone on one of the empty circular tables, Chloe walked over to Davis, wrapped her arms around his neck and reached up to kiss him softly. Without a second thought on his mind, he cupped the back of her hand with his right hand and the small of her back with his left. They continued to kiss in utter bliss for a few moments until parting with smiles on their faces.

"I can't believe you did all this," Chloe shook her head before staring down at their candlelit meal which included roasted chicken, potatoes, asparagus, a yellow ceramic bowl filled with warm dinner rolls, and two half-filled glasses of white wine. Two white candles and a single red rose in a small glass vase were in the middle of the beautifully set table and the bottle of wine was on ice. He probably made it himself at the farm and Clark helped him "sneak" over with the food. "But what's the occasion? Are we celebrating the fact that you've survived living with Clark and Kara for over a month now?"

"Maybe a little bit," he chuckled. "No, I just wanted to do something special for you as a thank you for everything you've done for me these past couple of months. It's more than anyone ever done for me in my entire life."

"Davis, we're together now," she smiled. "You know I would do anything to protect you."

"I know, but still..." his voice trailed off, pausing for a brief moment. "How often do we get a chance to be alone anymore?"

"Without Clark interrupting us every five minutes like an overprotective older brother?" she giggled. "Never."

"Then I hope you appreciate the evil genius part of my plan."

Chloe softly caressed his bare cheek as she reached up to quickly kiss his lips. "More than you know."

* * *

About a half an hour later, Chloe and Davis had finished their dinner—which the blonde thought was absolutely delicious—and were now enjoying their bottle of white wine, while reminiscing over happier moments in their childhood.

"It's no joke," Davis laughed once he finished taking a slip of his wine, "I'm being totally serious."

"You were in a garage band?" the blonde couldn't help but continue giggling. "Oh, come on. You have to see the humor in this for me after telling me all those stories about being a loner in the foster system. It's a little hard for me to imagine you with three or four other guys playing rock music in a garage every day after school."

"I only played with my foster brothers, and we were actually pretty good."

"Did you play an instrument or sing?"

"Both. I played the guitar and sung lead."

"Wow," Chloe was even more surprised than before. "Do you still play?"

"No, I haven't played since I moved to Metropolis. Once I became a paramedic at Met General, I guess I just lost the drive to keep playing."

"Did you ever write any songs?"

"Yeah, I wrote a bunch of songs in high school. Heck, I even..." Davis suddenly stopped talking and looked away from her.

"You even what?" she inquired, interested to hear what he was going to say.

He turned his head to look at her once more, a little more shy than before. "I...I wrote a song about my feelings for you back when you told me we couldn't see each other for a while."

"Really? Will you play it for me?"

"What?" he asked, his eyebrows arching in confusion. "You want me to play my wallowing-in-self-pity song I wrote for you while you were engaged to Jimmy?"

"Yes. I'd really like to hear it."

"But how? I mean, I don't have a guitar to play with or—"

"Local bands from Smallville High play here all the time, Davis. I'm sure there's a couple of rental guitars in the back somewhere and almost everything else should be set up on the stage because a band is supposed to be playing tomorrow afternoon. Just give me two seconds and I'll bring one out for you, okay?"

"But, Chloe—" he started to protest, but stopped when she ignored him and ran into the back room of the coffeehouse.

No more than a minute later, Chloe came back in the room with black and maroon-colored electric guitar. She motioned for Davis to come over to small stage and, after letting out a sigh and eye roll, he did. Already well aware of how to hook up the guitar and get everything he needed set up, Chloe got out of her boyfriend's way so he could and she pulled up a chair to get a "front row seat" for the show.

Once Davis was all ready to go, now sitting on a wooden stool at center stage, he said, "If this totally sucks, you've been warned."

Chloe gave him a confident smile and nodded, eagerly waiting for him to start playing.

_I know you are real  
__I close my eyes to the others  
__'Cause I've made a promise  
__I'll stay here_

_I'm alone  
__I'm alone  
__I'm alone_

_All that I am  
__I've made so I would deserve you  
__You may never know  
__But I believe_

_I'm for you  
__I'm for you  
__I'm for you_

_Sometimes I see it clearly  
__A pleading feeling  
__A life that I may never have with you_

_And if this fate betrays me  
__Will I regret this life lived alone  
__Looking for you_

_Was it lost before we met?  
__Still I can't forget  
__I miss you_

_Do you feel the same?  
__Or do I fool myself?  
__I miss you_

_I'm alone  
__I'm alone  
__I'm alone  
__I'm alone  
__I'm alone_

(**AN:** Yes, this is "Alone" by The Crashtones, Sam Witwer's rock band. I love this song so much because I think it really explores Davis' feelings for Chloe, especially from episodes **8x06:** _Prey_ — **8x11:** _Legion_. And does anybody else notice how like half of The Crashtones' songs fit into Chlavis' relationship on the show, even though their CD came out back in 2006? It's so freakin' awesome!)

As the sound of the guitar came slowly came to an end, Chloe happily applauded with a bright smile to show off her highly impressed enthusiasm towards his performance. He then placed the guitar back into its black case and hopped off the small stage so she could hug him in congratulations.

"Davis, you were amazing," she said after they let go of each other. "I loved your song and I would love to hear you play it again sometime."

"Bet you still can't believe I play the guitar and sing though, huh?"

"Well, would you believe me if I told you I used to sing a little in high school too?"

"You did?"

"Not a whole lot because I ran the school paper, but, yeah. When my best friend from high school was running the _Talon_, she did Karaoke Night every Thursday night. Lois and I were a real hit everybody used to say, but it's not like we were aspiring to become the next American Idol or anything. We were just fooling around and having a lot of fun."

"I'm sure you and your cousin would've impressed the hell out of Simon. You have a beautiful voice, Chloe."

Blushing once more, the blonde began to wonder if he was purposely trying to make her feel like she was thirteen again, flirting with her schoolgirl crush in front of her locker, or if it was completely unconscious. "Thank you."

* * *

Once the couple had finished the rest of their wine, had dessert, a rich chocolate cream pie that Davis had taught Kara how to make from scratch, cleaned up the dishes together, he figured Chloe would probably want to call it a night and head upstairs since it was almost ten o'clock.

"If you want to go to bed now," Davis said to Chloe as they were walking out of the back room together, "I understand. I told Clark I'd probably stay in the basement tonight so he wouldn't have to come and get me this late. But he should be here to get me before you go off to work in the morning."

_The basement._

Just as soon as she heard that word, moments from the romantic "Beauty and the Beast" fantasy-turned-nightmare she had of Davis all those weeks ago flashed into her mind. The rose petals and three dozen or so lit candles he had set up to surprise her with. His declaration of love for her. The breathtaking, intense kiss they shared afterward. The trail of blood she found on the floor before finding Clark's body ripped in half and hanging from the ceiling. Just as soon as heard that one word, it all came back to her again.

"No..." she whispered softly to herself in a trance, now looking away from Davis.

"What?" he asked her with concern. "Chloe, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she quickly shook her head and snapped back to reality. "It's nothing."

"I don't buy that," he spoke up in a firmer tone this time. "Something's bothering you. What is it?"

"I..." she started to say, then stopped when she noticed how concerned he was for her.

The last thing Chloe wanted to do with Davis, especially after all they had been through together in the past few months, was pull a "Clark" moment and start lying to him. She had seen too many times from her best friend's relationship with Lana before he had finally told her his secret—how lying had caused so many of their problems. Or even her own relationship with Jimmy before he knew about Clark's powers. Secrets and lies only destroy what a relationship tries to build. But Chloe had been keeping a secret from Davis for months now; she had been keeping her initial reasons for leaving Smallville with him a secret since the moment she made the offer to leave town together.

It was time to tell him the truth.

"I have to tell you something."

"Okay," Davis said in reply, yet still had a hard time following her.

"But not here. I want to tell you downstairs in the basement."

"Why?" he asked, his right eyebrow arching in confusion.

"Just come with me and you'll see."

Without saying another word, Chloe grabbed hold of his left hand with her right and led him downstairs to the basement. She switched on half of the lights with her free hand once they were there, then brought him to the middle of the room.

"Chloe, what's going on?"

"Before I get started," she said, letting go of his hand, "will you promise not to say anything until I'm finished?"

"Yes."

"There's something I haven't been completely honest with you about for several weeks now, and I need to tell you the truth before this goes any further between us."

Even though he was tempted to say something, Davis kept his word and continued to listen.

"I didn't leave Smallville so we could start a new life together and escape from the police like I led you to believe, Davis. I mean, I know you knew I was trying to help both you and Clark from fulfilling your destinies. But the real reason why I left with you was because I was trying to protect Clark from Doomsday. The truth is, in the beginning, that was the only reason why I wanted to skip town with you."

Davis stared at Chloe with a mixture of shock and upset written all over his face for what seemed like an eternity until he could finally say something by looking away from her.

"So this whole time we've been together, it was all for Clark?"

"No," she shook her head in disagreement. "No, just in the beginning. That's not at all how I feel about you now. Davis, even although I always knew on some level that I had feelings for you, I had to protect Clark in order to protect everyone else. The world needs him, but he never would've been able to be the hero we all need unless I could save him from your alter ego."

* * *

"_Chloe, where are you?_"

"_Davis and I are gone, but please don't try and find us, okay? We're fine._"

"_You think that you're safe, Chloe, but you aren't. You are not safe with him._"

"_I'm sure everyone's fitting me for a straitjacket right now. But, Clark, I do know what I'm doing. And I knew that if I told you sooner you would've found a way to stop me._"

Clark let out a small sigh, not sure of what to say.

"_Look, everything I've ever done, right or wrong, I did for you._"

"_By running away? Admit it, Chloe. You have feelings for Davis. That's why you're protecting him._"

"_Clark, I'm protecting **you**,"_ she argued._ "I meant what I said. Condemning Davis to a life as that monster is worse than killing him._"

"_But what about you, Chloe? Chloe, I'm gonna spend every second looking for you. I will find a way to save you._"

"_Clark, you're not here to save one person, you're here to save all of us._"

"_And you think sacrificing yourself will help me do that._"

Tears began to well up in Chloe's eyes just as Clark took a brief pause in his argument to persuade her not to leave with Davis.

"_Chloe, you're wrong. You're wrong, Chloe._"

"_I must have thrown a million green rocks away and I have never really saved you. Now I can._"

Clark swallowed hard while he took in his best friend's heartfelt words. "_Chloe, listen to me. This is your __**life**__ we're talking about. Don't do this._"

The tears finally began rolling down her cheeks as she replied, "_Clark...if there's one lesson I've learned from you, it's that choosing the greater good is never a sacrifice._"

Unable to say anything else, the blonde finally took the cell away from her ear and ended what she thought would be the last phone call she ever made to her best friend...**.**

* * *

"Why tell me all of this now?" Davis asked, still looking down at the cold cement floor underneath his feet.

"Because I know what it's like to be in a relationship with a web full of lies and deceit, and I didn't want to repeat history with you."

Still too upset to think straight, Davis couldn't bring himself to say a word or even look at her.

"I know you're mad at me. I'm sorry that I kept this from you for so long, yet the longer we were together, the more I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd see it as a betrayal. But you have to believe me when I say that's not how I feel about you anymore. When Oliver, Dinah and Bart found us that night in Edge City, I was ready to start building a life with you, Davis, and I still am."

A few moments of uncomfortable silence past between them until Chloe felt a spark of hope when Davis finally looked back up at her.

"You still haven't told me why you had to tell me this down here."

"Would you believe me if I told you the reason why?"

"Depends on the reason."

"Before we left Smallville together, I had this romantic dream about us here in the basement. You called me down here because you said you had another nightmare, but it was really just a ploy to surprise me with a room full of roses and candles. We talked about what I had done to help you and you told me that our relationship was more than just friendship...that your feelings for me hadn't changed since the first day we met. We kissed and just when I thought things were going to go further, I saw a trail of blood. I followed it and it led me to Clark's body, ripped in half and hanging from the ceiling."

"So this nightmare was what motivated you to protect Clark from me—from the beast?"

"Yes, that's partially why."

Almost a whole minute of silence past by again before Davis finally had the strength to speak his mind.

"Chloe, I—I don't know where to go from here. All this time I thought you left Smallville with me out of love, because you actually wanted to be with me. But now that I know the truth, I don't know if I can be with you anymore."

"It isn't all that different from when you lied to me about that drunk driver Jimmy saw you kill at the hospital."

"I was trying to protect you and Jimmy from what I was. I didn't want the beast to go after you again."

"And I was trying to protect Clark. What's the difference?"

"The difference is what I did, I did out of my love for you, Chloe, but you—"

"I did out of love for Clark."

"So you do still love him?"

"Yes, but only as a friend. Clark was my first love, Davis, and he's my best friend. He's been a part of my life for over nine years. We have a lot of history together and that's never gonna change."

"I know, it's just..."

Chloe stepped forward and pressed her index finger to his lips to silence him, knowing exactly what he was going to say. "I know. But all of that is in the past now. I want you to be the one I spend my life with, not Clark. You and only you."

After she removed her finger from his lips to let him speak again, Davis wrapped one arm around her slim waist and placed the other on the small of her back and brought her closer to him. "I love you more than anything."

"And I love you, so let's make tonight a fresh start for us. I think we both deserve it."

Davis nodded in agreement. They gazed into each other's eyes for a few seconds before he finally leaned in to kiss her and she kissed him back softly. The kiss started out slow and gentle, both of them taking it as a moment of comfort and joy now that there were no more secrets between them. Chloe cupped the back of his neck with one hand, while the other softly ran up and down his back. Yet the feel of her fingers touching the fabric of his shirt, pressing into his skin, was gradually lowering Davis' defenses and giving him the desire to take things further. Kisses soon became harder, more fervent, as moans of pleasure began to escape from their throats. Aroused and achingly desperate for more, he tore his lips from hers and leaned down even further to kiss her neck. Chloe sighed out in content, arching her neck back to give him more access. With her help, Davis undid the buttons to her yellow blouse and carelessly discarded it to the floor, exposing her lacy white bra. In almost no time at all, they got rid of his black tie, black and blue dress shirt and white undershirt, thereby showing off his well-toned chest and rock hard abs. They kicked off their shoes, unbuckled their black leather belts, and removed their slacks until the only thing they were wearing was their undergarments. Then before the blonde could say a word, Davis scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed.

Once Chloe's head was resting on one of the white pillow and his body covered hers, they wrapped their arms around each other and began kissing passionately again. Hands touched, explored the unknown territory with burning desire and delight. Davis groaned in pleasure when Chloe raked her fingernails through his short black hair, as he kissed and nipped at her neck. She felt like her body was literally being set on fire when his light butterfly kisses began to trail further down to the valley of her breasts. Bringing his head back up to her level, Chloe kissed him hungrily.

"Are you sure about this?" he whispered to her between kisses, wanting to make sure she was since it was their first time together.

"Yes," she whispered back softly. "I love you, Davis."

And so, with no more needed encouragement, they made sweet love to one another all night long in the basement...

...like Hades and Persephone did in the underworld.

* * *

**Author note:** What else is there for me to say after a chapter like that? Lol!

_**Please review!!!**_


	8. 9x04: Games

**Disclaimer: **Yeah, I still own absolutely nothing except for this story.

**Couples:** Chloe/Davis, minor Clark/Lois, Zod/Tess, Kara/Jimmy, Dinah/Oliver

**Author note: **As you can see from above, I've added a few more to the list of couples in my Chlavis story. And on that happy note, there will be some Zess (Zod/Tess) in this chapter. Even though I'm not really watching this season of SV, because I still hate the writers with a passion that is _truly_ beyond words, I think Cassidy Freeman (Tess) and Callum Blue (Zod) have amazing chemistry together. :) However, the Kimmy (Kara/Jimmy) and Dollie (Dinah/Oliver) couplings won't enter the story until later on. Thanks again to everyone who reviewed my previous chapter, and I hope all of you enjoy this one!

* * *

**Chapter Eight:** Games

"Okay, that's sounds great," Chloe said to Oliver on her cell phone one afternoon at the _Isis Foundation_. "Yeah, I'll see you in a bit. Thanks."

After taking the cell away from her ear, she had just pressed the red "End" button on her phone when the blonde heard someone knocking on the door before opening it. A tall man in his late twenties or early thirties appeared at the doorway with reddish brown hair and wearing an all-black business suit.

"Hi. Can I help you?" Chloe asked him, as she put her cell phone down on the black table beside her.

"I certainly hope so," he replied with a thick British accent and walked into the room. "Is this the _Isis Foundation_?"

"You've come to the right place."

"And are you Chloe Sullivan?"

"Two for two," she smiled. "Care to go for three?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," the kind stranger apologized, chuckling. "I'm new to the area and I heard this is where meteor-infected people come for counseling."

"That's correct. So how I can help you, Mr.—?"

"Mason Riley," he informed her before extending his arm out to shake hands with her. "But please just call me Mason. I'm not much for formalities outside of the office."

"I understand."

"Anyway," he shook his head, trying to get back on the topic of why he was there in the first place. "I was wondering if I could schedule a weekly appointment or counseling session with you for the next couple of months since I'm temporarily going to be living in Metropolis."

"Yes, of course. Do you mind if I ask now what your...?"

"What my meteor power is?" he finished for her.

"I'm sorry," she immediately regretted asking him such a personal question so soon. "I didn't mean to offend you or anything by asking you that right off the bat."

Mason ran out of the door in lightning-fast speed, and not more than a few seconds later he came back just as quickly with a red tulip in his hand, which he gave to her.

"Speed," the blonde remarked with a smile of thanks for the flower—her favorite flower. "Lucky for you, I've actually had some experience with people who have the same ability you do. And if you give me a sec, let me just grab..."

She turned around and started sifting through a small stack of papers on the black table until Chloe found the one she was looking for. Then she turned her attention back onto Mason and handed him the piece of paper.

"Okay, so here's a list of days and times I do the weekly group counseling sessions. But if you prefer to have private sessions, which many of my new patients do in the beginning, you can call me at anytime Monday through Friday to schedule the appointments, and they're usually about an hour long. All of my contact information is on there, including my cell, e-mail address and fax number. Any questions?"

"No, that sounds great. Thank you so much for your help, Chloe."

"Minus sounding completely rude to you before, right?"

"Honestly, it wasn't a big deal to me. I guess that's partially because I haven't told many people about my meteor infection since I left Smallville after the second meteor shower. I've always been afraid people would think I'm different or a freak of nature for having these powers."

"Who have you told since you were infected?"

"Only a couple of my family members. Doesn't really matter anymore, though."

"Why?"

"Once all they found out what I could do, my parents and younger siblings back in England wanted absolutely nothing to do with me."

"I'm sorry," Chloe whispered apologetically. "That must have been hard to deal with."

"Thank you," he nodded in appreciation for her sympathy.

"What were you doing in Smallville when the second meteor shower hit?"

"I was here on a brief business trip. I had just gotten into my car and started driving down the street when I saw a meteor crash into the road right in front of me. Then the next thing I know, I'm waking up in the hospital with the ability to move faster than a speeding bullet."

"I bet that comes in handy during rush hour traffic, huh?" she grinned, trying to lighten up the mood of their conversation.

"Well, I definitely save a lot of trips to the gas station when I choose not to take my car to work every day," he chuckled.

Chloe couldn't help but giggle at his humorous comment. "Yes, I'm sure you do."

"So what made you decide to counsel the meteor-infected? Giving money to St. Jude's and Red Cross once every six months wasn't enough?"

"Real cute," she scoffed at his sarcastic question. "No, the_ Isis Foundation_ used to be run by one of my closest friends from high school. But then she moved away and asked me to temporarily keep an eye on the place until she could find someone else to take it over for her."

"Something tells me your temporary status here didn't stay temporary for very long."

"I decided that I needed a change after being fired from my job at the _Daily Planet_, and one day I realized that helping people is what I've always wanted to do with my life, so I stayed."

"It sounds like you found your true calling in life and are really sticking to it. That's rare. Don't ever give up on that."

"Thank you. I hope I never have to."

"So do you have a...?"

"A meteor power?" Chloe finished off his question this time, smiling. "I did at one time, but I lost it about a year and a half ago."

"How?" he wondered, looking at her with curiosity.

"Someone else with powers attacked me and took them away," she admitted half-truthfully, as the blonde wasn't about to say an alien supercomputer infected her brain with his powers and later took control of her with them.

"At least that means you know where we're all coming from since you've once had them yourself."

"Yeah, that's what I tell my patients all the time," she nodded. "Can I ask you a personal question, Mason?"

"Of course."

"Why did you decide to come back to Kansas? You said you lived in England before, right?"

"I just moved out here from London about two months ago to do a little damage control after my business started having trouble at the Metropolis office. PR, in particular, has been a never-ending nightmare ever since I had to fire one of my managers for trying to embezzle a million dollars into his bank account and sneak out of the country with it."

"Still, I'm impressed. You must have a fairly big corporation on your hands to be leap frogging both sides of the pond."

"I know it's nothing compared to Oliver Queen or Tess Mercer's standards, but I'm quite proud of it," he said with a grin before adding, "I have to admit business has sort of become an escape from my powers and all the stress that comes along with having them, though. Sometimes it feels like work is only place where people can't see right through me or label me as some stupid circus clown."

Chloe said nothing in return, as he gave her a small, sad smile.

"See, I told you I need counseling. Can't stop feeling so bloody sorry for myself."

"We all learn to deal with our powers in our own ways, Mason. There's nothing wrong with trying to create a dual identity for yourself. In fact, I think on some level we all have one—powers or no powers. But the important thing is not to lose sight of reality. You can't pretend your powers don't exist or think they'll disappear if you don't use them. And you can't let your meteor ability define who you are, either. It's just part of you. Just one piece of the jigsaw puzzle in your life."

"Now I'm the one who's impressed. You really know how to talk to people and give them advice but at the same time understand exactly what they're going through."

"Because I've been in your shoes. I know what it's like to feel different."

Pausing for a few moments, the blonde stared at Mason and couldn't but notice that there was something strangely..._familiar_ about him. It was almost as if she had come across him from somewhere before...**.** She couldn't quite put her finger on the where or when, but there was something especially familiar to her about the way he presented himself and—

Chloe slammed her foot down on the mental brake in her mind and told herself that was the reporter side of her brain trying to take over again. Quickly stepping back into her professional counseling way of thinking, the blonde mentally reminded herself that this man was a complete stranger to her before today. Besides, how often did tall, successful British businessmen with meteor powers show up on her doorstep? So there shouldn't be any reason to suspect she had seen him until now.

"I think a few counseling sessions with me—maybe once or twice a week until you move back to London—would really help you out."

"That's why I came," he smiled, seemingly unaware and unaffected by her brief pause into outer space.

"Well, I'm glad you did. Thank you for coming by. I know it probably wasn't easy."

"No, thank you for taking the time to see me. I really appreciate it."

"It's no problem at all," Chloe smiled at him before extending out her arm to quickly shake hands once more. "I hope to see you here again soon."

"You can count on it."

Just then, there was another knock on the door and Oliver stepped into the room.

"Hey, Sidekick. Oh, sorry. I didn't know you had company. Should I go pick up Lois first and then come back for you before we go out to lunch together?"

"No. I'm just finishing up with a new client."

Turning her attention back onto Mason, the blonde was about to say her goodbyes to him when he beat her to it.

"It seems my welcome has been worn out by none other than Oliver Queen himself. How's that for irony?"

Chloe couldn't but giggle as the billionaire boy looked at her and the young British man in utter confusion. "Did I miss something?"

"No," she shook her head. "It's nothing."

"I'll probably get in touch with you within the next few days," Mason continued, "so we can set up our first counseling session together."

"Good."

"It's been a pleasure meeting you, Chloe," he smiled before grabbing her right hand and planting a featherlight kiss on the knuckles.

Then without saying another word, simply nodding to Oliver as he walked past him to get to the door, Mason left the counseling center, leaving Chloe a little surprised by his extremely kind behavior towards her.

"What was that all about?" Ollie inquired, staring the now-closed door in bewilderment.

"Relax, Oliver," she dismissed his suspicious attitude towards her new client's friendliness, as well as her own. "He's not from around here."

Standing just outside the building, Zod stopped using his super-hearing once he heard Chloe's comment to Oliver about "himself" and his lips curled into a devilish smirk.

"You have no idea, Ms. Sullivan."

* * *

"_You've certainly made yourself right at home_," Tess commented as she walked through the double doors to the office in the Luthor mansion, watching Zod pour himself a glass of red wine.

"_Few things on your planet give me more pleasure_," he replied after taking his first sip of the alcoholic drink. "_When I first came to Earth, I expected your primitive race to be so inferior that not a single thing they've accomplished here would give me any sort of pleasure._" Zod turned around and smiled when his eyes meets hers. "_But obviously I was wrong._"

"_I'm sure it won't be the last time you're wrong about us._"

"_We made a deal, Tess._" Zod's placid attitude changed just as quickly as his facial expression did. "_In exchange for more information, you were supposed to bring me the octagonal key from Kal-El's spacecraft. I've given you weeks to retrieve it, so why haven't you found it yet?_"

"_I'm curious about something._"

"_What was it that the humans say always curiosity does to the cat?_"

"_You could tear through the Kent Farm like it's a piece of tissue paper and find the key yourself with all of your abilities. Why come to me and ask for it?_"

"_Simple. I don't want to risk Kal-El or any of his pathetic accomplices finding out that I'm in Smallville so I can complete the next phase of my plan without their petty annoyances delaying me._"

"_And what exactly is the next phase of your plan?_"

Zod couldn't help but smile at her in humor. "_You don't really think I'm going to show you __all__ of my cards when you haven't even passed a simple test of loyalty to me yet, do you, Tess?_"

"_If we're going to be partners in this—_"

"_I will reveal all you need to know in due time. You're just going to have to trust me until then._"

"_I don't ever recall trust being a solid component in the foundation of our partnership._"

"_Perhaps we should change that_," he spoke in a smooth tone once more, as he walked towards her with his glass of red wine still in hand.

"_Save the sweet talk for some other girl,_" she smirked, fully aware of his womanizing ways. "_This is a business deal, and my only business with you is Clark._"

"_As is mine._"

"_You want something from him, don't you? Something more than just the key he possesses. That's why you don't want to reveal your identity to Clark, because as long as you lurk around quietly in the shadows, he'll never suspect that it's you who took from him whatever it is you're looking for._"

"_You impress me more and more every day with your keen sense of observation, Tess._"

"_Then I'm almost positive you'll be even more surprised_ _if and_ _when you discover a few more of my hidden talents as time goes on._"

"_Yes,_ _it's that fiery spirit you possess..._" Zod said softly, so close to her face that she could feel his warm breath on her skin. "_...your insatiable curiosity and devoted determination to save Kal-El from not facing his destiny on this planet that drew me to you, wasn't it?_"

"_What does Clark have that you want?_"

"_Kal-El doesn't have what I seek yet,_ _but I know he will in time. And while he searches for the rest of the missing pieces to Jor-El's puzzle, I'll gain his trust, as well as the trust of his closest companions, by pretending to be their friend until I have all the information I need to finally locate Kandor._"

She turned her head to look at him, their faces only a couple of inches away from one another now. "_What other missing pieces?_"

Zod's lips curled into a smile, staring deep into her eyes. "_You're playing a very dangerous game here, Tess. But you should know by now that you'll never find what you seek with the strategy you keep using._"

"_I know what I'm doing._"

"_Bring me that octagonal key,_" he whispered into her ear, "_or you'll learn just how dangerous this little game of ours really is._"

* * *

The smirk on Zod's face quickly changed to a solemn expression when he heard the sound of a ringtone from his silver cell phone going off. He took the small electronic device out of his pants front pocket and saw on the screen that the incoming call was from Tess Mercer.

After pressing the green "Talk" button and putting the phone to his ear, he said, "This better be important."

"I have the key."

* * *

**_Dun, dun, dun!_ **

**AN:** For anyone who is interested to know, I used the name "Mason" when Zod introduced himself to Chloe because when the s9 spoilers started coming out last summer, the producers were looking for someone to play the part of Mason, which later turned into the role for Major Zod. And unlike the regular ninth season of SV, I decided to give Zod his Kryptonian powers so I would have more to work with later on in the story. ;) I'm sorry that there was no Chlavis romance in this chapter, but I promise there will be some in the next one.

_**  
Please review!!!**_


	9. 9x05: Surprises

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.

**Author note: **Okay, this is a chapter I've been waiting to write since, like, forever. Lol! But, seriously, I had a giddy smile on my face the entire time I was writing, and as you read this chapter you'll see why. :) I hope all of you die-hard Chlavis fans out there will enjoy—maybe even shout for joy—when you read this chapter, because I believe it's something we all would have loved to see happen on the show but never got. Enjoy, Chlavisers!!!

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Nine:** Surprises

Chloe and Lois drove up the Kent Farm's dirt driveway in Chloe's yellow Pontiac Sunfire until they reached the front of the house, where Lois parked the car behind Clark's red truck and finally turned off the engine after their silent two-hour ride from Metropolis.

"Chloe, are you okay?" Lois asked her cousin when the ace reporter noticed that she wasn't taking off her seatbelt or in a rush to get out of the car.

"I'm just a little nervous, that's all. I don't know how Davis is going to take the news or how any of this going to work while Clark's harboring him here from the police—"

"Chloe—stop. You need to take a deep breath and relax. Everything's going to be just fine, I promise."

"I know, you're right." The blonde turned her head to look at her older cousin and put on a brave face. "Thanks again for coming with me to see Dr. Hamilton yesterday when I found out."

"We're family, coz," Lois smiled at her before her facial expression became more serious. "You know I would do anything for you, Chloe."

The cousins smiled at one another, then both women leaned forward to wrap their arms around each other and hugged.

"Thank you—for everything, Lois. I couldn't have done any of this without you."

"Of course you couldn't," the brunette replied after they let go of each other. "We're partners in crime, remember?"

"Right," Chloe chuckled, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Really, it's going to be okay. I mean, I'm not gonna lie to you. It's probably gonna take a lot of blood, sweat and tears before you guys get your chance to ride off into the sunset together with these murder charges hanging over Davis' head like a giant rain cloud, but I promise everything's going to eventually work out in the end."

The blonde nodded, wiping another tear away that was rolling down her cheek.

"You ready?"

Chloe took a breath and did her best to look calmer. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"Okay. Let's go."

* * *

"Davis, I don't know what you're so worried about," Kara stared at her Kryptonian cousin as he was pacing around Clark's kitchen like a nervous wreck, "when we all know she's going to say yes."

"What if it's too soon for her? Maybe I should wait until my name is cleared."

"But why wait? Humans always say there's no time like the present."

"Yeah, well, most of them haven't had the kind of relationship Chloe and I have had. We've been through a lot of chaos together this past year, and I don't want to scare her into something she might think we're not ready for."

"Do you love her?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

"And does she love you?"

"Last time I checked."

"Then we both know she'll want this as much as you do."

"Where's Clark?" Davis wondered, switching the subject.

"He's still out in the barn, putting on the last few touches before Chloe and Lois get here."

"We're here," Lois announced, as she and her cousin opened the screen door and walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, you," Chloe smiled at Davis, who came over to kiss her hello.

"I've missed you," he said to her in just barely over a whisper, while Lois and Kara watched the lovebirds talk.

"I've missed you too."

"Where have you been the last few days?"

"That's why I'm here. There's something I need to tell you."

"That's weird because there's something I wanted to ask you."

"Well, can I go first? My news is pretty big."

"Yeah, of course."

"Why don't you guys go into the living room and talk privately while Lois and I wait for Clark to come back into the house?" Kara suggested.

"That's a good idea," Chloe nodded in agreement. "Thanks."

Davis led his girlfriend to the living room and motioned for her to sit down on the couch with him, which she did. However, once they were sitting down together, he immediately couldn't help but notice that there was something off with Chloe. She looked nervous, almost scared, and even a little pale.

"Chloe, is everything all right?"

"Yeah. I just had a really rough morning in the bathroom."

"Why?"

"Well, it all started about a week ago. I began to notice that I had no appetite, I'd wake up in the morning extremely nauseous and throw up my entire breakfast. I thought I just had the flu or something, so I decided to go see Emil with Lois for a checkup yesterday. And, um, after he ran a few tests on me, we found out that I'm..."

"What? What did you find out? Are you okay?"

"No, it's nothing like— No, I'm fine."

"Good," he sighed in relief. "So if you're all right, then—wait a minute." Davis suddenly stopped himself. He didn't need his paramedic training or experience in the hospital to figure what Chloe was probably trying to tell him. "Are you...pregnant? Are we gonna have a baby together?"

"Yes," she barely managed to choke out since she was on the verge of tears. "I'm three weeks pregnant."

"So why are you about to cry? Aren't you happy we're gonna have a baby?"

"No, I'm very happy we're pregnant. I just didn't know if you would feel the same—"

Before Chloe could finish her what she was going to say, he cupped the back of her head and leaned in to kiss her. The blonde was a little more than surprised by his ecstatic response to her pregnancy but, nevertheless, thrilled that he was so happy. She cupped the side of his face and kissed him back; it was the perfect ending to their wonderfully unexpected news.

"So I take it you told Dimples the joyful news," Lois interrupted the couple, who stopped kissing when they heard her voice.

"What news?" Kara inquired, standing behind the _Daily Planet_ reporter.

"Davis and I are going to have a baby," Chloe grinned, snugging closer to him on the couch after he wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"You're pregnant?" the blonde stared at the pair in shock, smiling. "How far along are you?"

"Three weeks," Lois answered. "We just found out yesterday."

"Hey, what's going on in here?" Clark asked when he came through the screen door and saw that everyone was huddled in the living room together. "Is everything all right?"

"Chill out, Smallville," Lois lightly smacked his chest. "We're all in here because Chloe just told Davis some very exciting news that concerns both of them."

"What news? Has Davis been cleared of the murder charges?"

Chloe, Davis and Kara were all reluctant to tell Clark the happy news, which Lois noticed, so she stepped in to save the day.

"Let's just keep the ball rolling here and move onto Davis' surprise for Chloe in the barn, okay?"

"But I want to know what—"

"Later, Smallville," she snapped at him and he quickly decided to leave it at that for now.

Clark, Kara and Lois withdrew from the living room to go outside while Chloe kept Davis back for a minute so they could talk privately again.

"You're really okay with this?"

"Okay with it?" he repeated, staring at her like he couldn't believe she would say that. "Chloe, I've never been happier. We're gonna have a baby. We're starting a family—starting our lives together with a baby. That's amazing."

"You're absolutely right, it is," she smiled, touching her stomach with one hand. "I just didn't know how you would react to the news with everything else going on in our lives right now. I mean, even though people in Metropolis are starting to believe it was Doomsday who committed all those murders, the police still aren't so sure. You're still wanted for murder, and I know we still have a long road ahead of us before we can really settle down and build a life together."

"I know we do," he nodded before leaning in to kiss her forehead. "But we'll get there. It'll just take some time."

"So what's this big surprise you have for me that's out in the barn?"

"Well, if I told you what it was now," Davis said, while helping Chloe up off the couch, "then it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"

The blonde merely rolled her eyes at him, then grabbed his right hand and led him towards the back door so they could meet the others out in the barn. Once they were inside it, Chloe's jaw almost hit the floor with shock when she saw how beautifully decorated the barn was. White Christmas lights were hung all around. Red and white rose petals had been sprinkled everywhere, from the stairs leading up to the loft to the hay by the horse stalls. White long stick candles had been lit. Red and white streamers had been curled and were hanging over the wooden handrails to the loft. The barn had never looked more beautiful—not even on her wedding day before Bridezilla crashed the party.

"You guys..." Chloe breathed out, smiling at her family and friends. "Did you do all this for me?"

"It was Davis' idea," Kara informed her. "Clark and I just gave him some help with the decorations, while Lois made sure you didn't come over until we were done putting them up."

"It's beautiful."

"You do get where Davis is going with this whole thing, don't you?" Lois asked her cousin.

"No," she admitted truthfully, a little stumped by the incredible gesture, especially since she had only just told Davis they were pregnant a few minutes ago. That couldn't be the reason why the foursome did all this. "I must've skipped a step."

"Chloe," he said, grabbing her left hand, "I probably went over the lame speech I had prepared for this exact moment a hundred times in my head and in front of the mirror, but now, as I'm standing here in front of you, I can't remember a single thing I wanted to say." The blonde smiled sweetly as Davis continued on. "I know we've been through more drama than anyone should have to go though in their entire lifetime. But I also know that I love you more than words can say, and I hope you feel the same way because I couldn't imagine spending the rest of my life without you."

After he got down on one knee, pulled out a small black velvet jewelry box, which Davis then opened and inside was a beautiful diamond ring studded with two smaller diamonds on a white gold band.

Tears of shock and joy now rolling down Chloe's cheeks, he looked back up at her with a smile before saying in just above a whisper to her, "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," she nodded, speaking softly, not even needing a whole three seconds to think about it. "Yes, I will marry you, Davis."

Lois, Kara and Clark all smiled at one another, as Davis removed the engagement ring from its box and gently placed it on Chloe's left ring finger—a perfect fit. Once he was standing up straight again, Chloe leaped into his arms and kissed him like she was the happiest woman in the world. Even though she knew they still had a bumpy road ahead of them, Chloe was thrilled to be starting a new life with Davis. At last, her dreams of having a "semi-normal" happy ending were coming true. The only thing that could make this day more perfect would be if Davis' name was cleared of the murder charges, but until that day did come, she was more than happy to be engaged and pregnant.

Chloe finally parted way from Davis after what seemed like half a lifetime, and was ready to hug her cousin and friends when Clark got in the middle of the celebration.

"Before we all start congratulating Chloe and Davis, Kara and I have a little announcement to make."

"Well, can you hurry it up so I can hug my cousin and her future husband, Smallville?" Lois nagged.

"Trust me, you're going to want to hear this, Lois," Kara informed her.

"Now that Chloe and Davis are engaged," Clark began, "as a present to you both, Kara and I would like Chloe to move in here with us until we can clear Davis' name, so you're able to spend more time together, instead of always going back and forth to see each other."

Chloe and Davis gaped at Clark in utter shock, both of them almost didn't believe—and wouldn't if they hadn't seen it with their own eyes—the words that came out of his mouth.

"Are you serious?" Davis was the first to speak up.

"But there isn't enough room for all of us, Clark," Chloe couldn't help but point out the obvious. "I mean, it's very sweet of you to offer, but you know there's only two bedrooms in the house—yours and your mom's, which Kara is using right now. I can't ask you guys to let me stay here on the farm when there isn't enough room."

"Kara and I talked it out all last night," her best friend explained, "and we both decided to let you and Davis stay in my mom's room, while Kara takes my room and I sleep on the couch in the living room until we can come up with something a little more permanent."

"So what do you say?" Kara questioned the couple with a bright smile, standing beside her cousin.

"I think it's the perfect solution to Chloe's dilemma," Lois chimed in. "Don't you think so, Chlo?"

"What dilemma?" Clark inquired, staring at his best friend and Kryptonian brother suspiciously. "Does this have anything to do with the news you told Davis back in the house?"

To make Clark even more suspicious and worried, Chloe and Davis didn't say a word, so Lois wrapped her arms around them, standing in between the couple, and smiled at the red and blue clad farm boy.

"Congratulations, Smallville. You're gonna be an uncle."

Speechless and flabbergasted, Clark's eyebrows arch as his mouth opens up partially for several moments, until he could finally say something.

"I'm going to be an uncle?"

"Well, that's usually what happens when your brother has a baby—you become an uncle."

"You guys are gonna have a baby?"

"I just found out yesterday," Chloe spoke up, wrapping her arm around Davis' waist, who, in return, wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Lois took me to see Emil, he ran some tests, and we found out that I'm three weeks pregnant."

"You're pregnant?" Clark continued to look at his best friend in complete shock. "But then that would mean you and Davis had—"

"Welcome to an adult conversation, Clark," Lois kept going. "I'm so glad you could finally join us."

"Lois, don't," Chloe told her cousin, touching her shoulder.

"What did I do wrong? _He_ was the one who just offered to let you sleep with Davis in the _same_ bed under _his_ roof."

"Yeah, but I'm sure he wasn't expecting this," said Davis. "At least not this soon."

"Well, who cares what he was expecting? My cousin is having a baby and I'm gonna be an aunt—sort of."

Of course the brunette knew this baby would actually be her second cousin, yet the role of aunt sounded so much more important and appropriate in her opinion.

"Auntie Lois," Chloe tried it out, giggling. "I don't know if the world's ready for that yet."

Without saying anything to anyone, Clark started walking out of the barn and headed towards the house.

"Clark, where are you going?" Lois yelled out.

"In the house to lie down," he yelled back in a flat tone, which made the remaining four laugh hysterically, pointing at him as he continued walking away.

"I don't think Uncle Clark is ready to be an uncle quite yet," Chloe grinned when she was finally calm enough to speak again.

"An uncle?" her cousin repeated. "Oh, please! Clark's still in shock that you and Davis have slept together. He'll probably have to go see a psychiatrist on a weekly basis when he has to start putting up with your mood swings and bizarre food cravings day in and day out—which, by the way, I also wish you the best of luck surviving through, Kara and Davis."

"And where exactly are you going to be when my hormones start pinging off the walls and I want a pizza with everything on it at two in the morning?"

"Working at the _Daily Planet_ so I help convince the public that your future hubby is innocent of those murders Cloverfield committed, of course."

"You would do that for us?" the blonde stared at her cousin, utterly surprised.

"I'm just sorry I didn't start sooner."

Touched by her offer to help, Chloe smiled at Lois before they wrapped their arms around each other and hugged, as Davis and Kara gave one another a small hug. She kissed his cheek in congratulations and gave him a wink, knowing Chloe would say yes to his marriage proposal because they were absolutely crazy about each other.

"Now that we've driven Clark away and said our congratulations," Lois said after she parted ways with her cousin, "Davis, I want you to take Chloe back into the house and let her relax. Meanwhile, Kara and I will drive over to the _Talon_ and start packing up a few of her personal things so she can stay over here tonight."

"What?" Chloe gaped at her. "_Right now_? Shouldn't we talk to Clark and make sure he's okay with it first?"

"Hey, there's no time like the present, right?" Kara smiled with a twinkle in her eyes before she and Lois started heading out of the barn together.

"Oh, and we'll pick up a bottle of sparkling apple cider to celebrate with on our way back!" Lois shouted out to the couple, just as she and Kara were about to hop into Chloe's car.

"Your cousin is..." Davis trailed off when he couldn't find the words to describe the ambitious _Daily Planet_ reporter.

"Adventurous?" Chloe offered, giggling into his black shirt-covered chest.

"To put it mildly, yeah."

"I know she is, but she means well. Lois is just like that sometimes. She's only ever wanted the best for me ever since we were kids, and she knows how much you mean to me, so she wants to be supportive."

"And my cousin's right there next to her, cheering her on and following her lead."

"I've never known Kara to be one who jumps on bandwagons, but I know she would do anything to make her loved ones happy, and that includes you, Davis."

"I know she would. We've really connected these past few weeks together on the farm, because we both know what it's like to feel like outsiders."

"But isn't that something you two share with Clark? He's from Krypton too, and I know there isn't a day that goes by when he doesn't feel like he's different because of his powers."

"He didn't have the same kind of parents we did, though, Chloe. Both of our fathers wanted to take control of this planet, and they would have if it hadn't been for Clark. So as much as we do relate to him, we also differ from him because of our corrupted lineage."

"Well, I hope there's still enough room in your heart for me and the baby after losing rank to Kara."

"Don't worry," he smiled at her before kissing her forehead, "you and the baby have my whole heart. Forever and always."

"And you'll always have ours."

They kissed.

"So should we go check and see if Clark has started digging a hole to China yet?" Chloe asked half-jokingly.

Nodding his head with a grin, Davis wrapped his arm around Chloe's slim waist and the happy couple left the barn to go back inside the house.

* * *

Once she was done getting ready for bed later that evening, Chloe pulled the clean, white covers down on her side of the bed, wearing a silky yellow chemise that showed off her curves. Davis, who was already in bed, was wearing a cotton white t-shirt and navy blue boxers, reading Homer's _The Odyssey_ with the bedside table lamp on for light. She climbed into bed beside him and snuggled up close to him, which quickly distracted Davis from his reading. After closing the book up and putting it on the small table, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.

"You have no idea how weird it feels to be sleeping in this room," the blonde admitted before letting out a giggle.

"Why, because this is Clark's mom's bedroom?"

"Well, yeah. I've been coming over to this house ever since I moved to Smallville in the eighth grade, but I never thought I'd actually _sleep_ here, especially in his parents' bedroom."

"Would you prefer we trade with Kara and sleep in Clark's room?"

"No," she shook her head, almost disgusted by the very thought of sleeping in her best friend's bed. "Definitely not."

Davis chuckled, "That's what I thought."

"So you're reading _The Odyssey_? I read that back in high school."

"Yeah, I did too. I've probably read it at least a half a dozen times since then, actually."

"You're really into Greek mythology, aren't you?"

"Can't help it. I've sort of always been drawn to it."

"Tell me more about Hades and Persephone. I don't know anything about them except for what you told me in Edge City."

"Well, according to the myth, Hades fell in love with Persephone for her womanly beauty and childlike innocence. But after he abducted her, Demeter became so bitter from missing her daughter that she neglected her duties to the earth until Zeus demanded his brother release Persephone. Some traditions to the myth say Hades tricked Persephone into eating the six pomegranate seeds he offered her before Hermes returned the Spring goddess to her mother, thereby forcing Persephone to live by his side for one-third of every year, while others suggest she willingly ate them because she had grown to love the Lord of the Dead and enjoyed her new role as Queen of the Underworld.

"Persephone later became the object of Pirithous' affections, King of the Lapiths, when he and his best friend, Theseus, King of Athens, pledged to marry daughters of Zeus. Together they traveled down to the underworld and was, to their surprise, greeted by Hades. He pretended to offer the kings a feast, but as soon as they sat down, snakes coiled around their feet and held them there, until Hercules entered the underworld and freed Theseus. Yet when he tried to free Pirithous, the earth shook and the hero realized he couldn't save him, as the price for trying to steal a god's wife was too high for any mere mortal to pay, so Hades forced Pirithous to remain seated in the Chair of Forgetfulness for all eternity.

"Then when the dark lord tried to seduce a beautiful water nymph named Minthe, Persephone turned her into a mint plant some called _hedyosmus_."

"Let's just hope," Chloe said after Davis was finished, "I never have to turn anyone into a plant because I caught you trying to seduce another woman after we get married."

"I'm the one who's worried Pirithous will someday show up on our doorstep and try to take you away from me."

"I guess you'll just have to give him a feast and make him sit in the Chair of Forgetfulness when that fateful day comes, huh?"

Casting a sly smile at his fiancée for her humor, Davis cupped the back of Chloe's neck before reaching down once more to kiss her. She leaned back into her pillow to make herself more comfortable and dug her fingernails into his short black hair to bring him even closer to her body. They kissed hungrily, tongues explored, moans escaped from the back of their throats in pleasure, blood coursed through their veins, and skin tingled as their hands softly grazed each other's clothed bodies. At some point Chloe's fingers slipped underneath his white shirt, causing Davis to close eyes even harder and groan in order to control his beastlike desires. She grabbed the hem of his nightshirt and, with his help, pulled it over his head before tossing the article of clothing to the floor. Then after turned off the lamp on his side of the bed so the room would be dark, Chloe massaged his rock hard chest, as he kissed his way down her neck, shoulder and collarbone, while his hands ran up and down her sides lovingly. Once the rest of their clothing had been stripped away, Chloe and Davis spent hours making passionate love, until they finally fell asleep in one another's arms and both dreamt about the happy life they would one day have as a family with their future children.

* * *

**AN:** I don't think I've had this much fun with anything SV-related since the first time I watched Davis say "I love you" to Chloe in **8x18:** _Eternal_, and I literally started jumping up and down on my bed in excitement after the commercials came on. LOL!

Now that Chlavis is expecting their first child in my fanfic, I would appreciate any and all votes for what you think the sex of their baby should be. I would also love to hear your thoughts on Davis' marriage proposal to Chloe, Lois' return to the story, and anything else that really caught your attention while you were reading this special chapter. Thanks again for reading and hope you enjoyed! :)

_**Please review!**_ – Should Chlavis' baby be a girl or a boy?


	10. 9x06 Part I: Teamwork

**Disclaimer:** I still own nothing except for this Chlavis story, which I am very proud to own. :)

**AN:** All right, so before I get this chapter rolling, I just have to say thank you a hundred times to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Okay, I won't say it a hundred times, but—thank you, thank you, thank you! :) And while we're on the subject of reviews, I saw that most of you want Chlavis to have a baby girl. (I'm sorry, Danny!) But I will continue to take any new votes that come along until the baby is born in the story. :D Anyways, I'm finally introducing the Justice League—including all of its current members from the show: Oliver, Victor, AC, Dinah, Bart, Chloe and Clark—as a special mark since this is the tenth chapter of my fanfic. (Can you believe it?) One of the main reasons why I decided to do this is because **6x11:** _Justice_ is one of my absolute favorite episodes from the sixth season and I love all the actors who portray the superhero characters on SV (except for Oliver at times, but I still love Justin Hartley). I'm also introducing a little bit of Dollie and one-sided Kimmy into this chapter as well.

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Ten:** Teamwork

"So that's why there are different seasons on this planet?" Kara asked Davis one Saturday morning, as the two cousins were cleaning up the mess in the Kent kitchen from their breakfast.

"Well, it's one of the theories," he explained. "There are actually several different origin stories on how the four seasons were created. But according to the myth in Persephone's marriage to Hades and being permanently bound to the underworld, winter comes every year because of Demeter's grief over being parted from her daughter while she spends one-third of every year underground with her husband."

"What are you two talking about?" Chloe inquires, stepping into the room with a smile on her face.

"Davis was just telling me one of the possibilities for why the earth has changing seasons," Kara informed her. "It sounds pretty interesting."

"You're not going to stop until you've got everybody in this house hooked on Greek mythology, are you?" the blonde grinned at her fiancé, shaking her head at him.

Davis kissed her hello. "Maybe."

As he was still putting his watch on, Clark walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, taking out the orange juice after he spotted it in the back.

"Morning, Clark," Kara said to her cousin.

"Morning, Clark," Chloe and Davis added.

"Morning," he said, before grabbing a tall glass out of one of the top cabinets to pour his juice into.

"So what's on your agenda today, Kara?" the blonde asked her friend.

"I have to go over to Hank's and pick up some feed for the cattle in a little bit, then Lois is supposed to come over later and help me with something."

"Help you with what?"

"I just need her opinion on something, that's all."

Curious by the lack of information her best friend's cousin was dishing out, she continued asking. "Anything I can help you with?"

Kara was about to make a response when they all heard Clark's cell vibrating. The red-shirted clad farm boy picked it up and saw that he gotten a text message from—

"Chloe, I got a message from Dr. Hamilton."

"Emil?" she said, walking over to the island countertop to stand next to Clark. "Why? Did he say something's wrong?"

"No, he just said that he wants you, me and the rest of Oliver's team to meet him at the watchtower in Metropolis around noon."

"At the watchtower that Jimmy gave me as a wedding present last year?" she repeated, utterly confused as to why the superhero league's official doctor would want the entire team to meet there.

"That's what it says."

"Hmm... I wonder what he wants to tell us—and why he wants to tell us there of all places."

"I guess we'll found out in a few hours."

* * *

"You guys all got the same message from Dr. Emil too?" Clark asked his teammates when he and Chloe arrived at the watchtower, all of them except for Bart were standing outside.

"Yeah, this morning," Victor replied.

"So do you have any idea what this is about, Oliver? Was it really your idea to meet here?"

"Don't look at me," the billionaire boy admitted honestly. "I got the same message everybody else did. I have no idea what this is about either."

"Well, before we all go in and find out why Emil called this meeting here, where's Bart?" Chloe wondered.

A gust of wind suddenly blow by the group and and when the air was calm again, Clark and the gang saw that the final member of their team had arrived.

"At your service, Beautiful," Bart grinned at his crush, eying her up and down.

"Cute, but I still have a fiancé," Chloe smiled at her red and yellow clad friend.

"A man can still dream, can't he?"

"Cool your jets, little man," AC chimed in. "She's pregnant, remember? The last thing you want to do is start ticking that time bomb off."

"Hey, it's not like I've hit the hormonal mood swings stage of my pregnancy yet," the blonde defended herself. "People can still stand to be in the same room with me."

"Are we going in this century, or should I just wait for the next one to arrive?" Oliver nagged, getting annoyed.

Victor and AC opened the double doors and the group started walking inside. Once they had gotten far enough into the room, Oliver and the rest all stared, awe-struck, at what had been done to the place. Bulbs had been put in and turned on, illuminating the watchtower from the ceiling downward. Several computers had been installed and were up and running. A large, round black table with chairs had been placed in the middle of the room. Two gurneys with plenty of medical equipment, including a heart monitor, were pushed off to the side. All members of the Justice League were utterly surprised yet thrilled by what they had come to find inside the once-vacant watchtower.

"I take it by the looks on your faces that everyone approves of my recent upgrades to the Justice League's new base of operations," the heroes suddenly heard Dr. Hamilton's familiar voice from above.

"You did all this?" Oliver inquired, as Emil started walking down the spiraling black metal stairs.

"I hope you don't mind," the doctor said to his boss. "I just thought it was time our organization had an official home base, especially now that our biggest threat is more than six feet under and most of our team members live in this area."

"Are you kidding?" Bart interrupted, excitement written in his facial expression. "This is awesome!"

"Good work, Dr. Hamilton," Oliver shook the physician's hand with a smile on his face in praise. "I just can't believe I didn't think of it first."

"I can," Dinah put in her two cents, before grinning at her leader.

"I also checked with my sources at Belle Reve," Emil continued, "and seems your suspicions were correct. LuthorCorp has been transferring patients out of the institution."

"To where?" Oliver wondered. "Do we have a location on them yet?"

"Unfortunately, any information on their whereabouts after they left is strictly classified. I'm afraid that even with my connections, I still wouldn't be able to track them down without drawing some negative attention towards us."

"Then maybe I could crack the code to their database and get a few leads going," Chloe offered.

"Hold on a second, Chloe," Clark interrupted his best friend, walking past her. "Tess has been taking patients out of Belle Reve?" he questioned the team's leader and doctor. "For how long?"

"LuthorCorp has collected at least a dozen patients who have meteor abilities within the last month, and the number is growing rapidly," Emil informed him. "Last week alone six people were transferred, all of them released by lawyers from LuthorCorp."

"It's Tess. She's starting up Lex's 33.1 experiments on people with abilities, isn't she?"

* * *

"Jimmy asked you out?" Lois gaped at Kara, sitting on the couch in Clark's loft. "When?"

"We bumped into each other at the _Talon_ last week, we started talking over coffee and right before I was about to leave, he asked if he could see me again."

"So what's the 9-1-1? You want my opinion on what to wear?"

"I told him I'd think about it."

"Why didn't you say yes?"

"Because of Chloe."

"Oh, I see," Lois was finally getting the picture. Kara didn't say yes because she thought she might be hurting Chloe's feelings by going out with her ex-husband.

"That's what I need your opinion on. Do you think Chloe would be okay with it if I went out with Jimmy?"

"Hey, I don't want to put words in anyone's mouthes, especially Chloe's, so don't you think she's the one you should be talking to about this?"

"I'm planning on asking Chloe before I give Jimmy my final answer, but I wanted to hear from an outside source first, and I decided to come to you because she's your cousin and you know her better than anyone."

"Then to be perfectly honest, I think she'll be just fine with it. Chloe would want Jimmy to move on with his life, just like she has with Davis."

"Really?"

"Come here and listen to me," Lois motioned for her friend to sit on the couch and she did. "Jimmy may be her ex-husband, and I know Chloe will always care about him, but she's not in love with him anymore. In fact, I don't think she's has been struck by Cupid's arrow for the guy in years."

"Why do you say that? They got married. Didn't she love Jimmy then?"

"Did you know that a week before Chloe and Jimmy got married, Davis told her she was marrying the wrong guy and kissed her?"

"What?"

"Yeah. I didn't find out about that little secret until the day of the wedding, but, between you and me, I wasn't all that surprised when she told me either."

"Why, because you already knew Davis had feelings for Chloe?"

"Well, from what I saw—which, sadly, wasn't much—Chloe and Davis grew extremely close while she was engaged to Jimmy, so I figured it was only a matter of time before one of them turned up the soap opera drama and made my cousin second guess her feelings for Jimmy."

"So what happened?"

"I questioned Chloe about her feelings for Davis, but she insisted that Jimmy was the one she wanted to marry. It wasn't true though, because I could see it her eyes. If she was that worried about Davis crashing the wedding and professing his undying love her in front of all those people, I knew there was some part of her that wasn't completely committed to Jimmy. And as much as I hate to say this about her, I think Chloe made a huge mistake when she married him."

"Davis is the reason why Jimmy broke things off after they got married, isn't he?"

"That's what I've heard, but my interpretation of the situation is different. Davis wasn't the reason why their marriage failed before it ever really started, he was just the last straw."

"You never thought Jimmy was the right one for Chloe, did you?"

"And I hide it so well, don't I?" Lois couldn't help but crack a smile from her sarcastic comment.

"Why not? I mean, they dated on and off for years, right? Wasn't there ever a time when you thought he could be the one for her?"

"I'll deny I ever said this, but—"

"I promise I won't say anything," Kara interrupted to assure her. "I know Jimmy's still your friend."

"I always thought Jimmy was too normal for Chloe."

The blonde almost laughed at Lois' opinion of her cousin's former relationship with the geeky photographer. "Too normal?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, it's _Chloe_—the girl who's been an investigative reporter for most of her life, counselor to the meteor-infected community, Clark Kent's BFF since their high school days, and is now engaged to a falsely accused serial-killing paramedic. So can _you_ really see her with our dorky but ever lovable Jimbo until death? I don't think so."

"I've only known Chloe for a couple of years now, but I still have to admit that I've never seen her more happy than when she's with Davis."

"Exactly! They're perfect for each other...in a twisted gothic romance kind of way."

"They're crazy about one another," Kara added, smiling when she thought about all the times she caught her cousin kissing Chloe while they were sitting alone out on the porch, snuggled close together when they were watching a horror film or romantic comedy, or whispering sweet nothings into each other's ears while they were making dinner in the kitchen.

"Which is why you shouldn't feel guilty about going out with Jimmy again. Chloe has Davis now, and I know she would want Jimmy to find someone new too."

"Thanks for coming over and talking to me about this, Lois. I really needed it."

"Hey, my unbiased ear is always open for you to use whenever you need someone to talk to. All you gotta do is call."

"Thank you," the blonde grinned and reached over to hug her friend.

* * *

"Why didn't you mention this to me before now?" Clark questioned Oliver, staring at his friend and teammate with look of betrayal in his eyes.

"You know, last time I checked, this was my team—"

"Yes, and I thought I was a part of it. How could you not tell me Tess might be experimenting on people with abilities?"

"Hard to imagine why when you're taking the news _so_ well," the billionaire boy said sarcastically.

"Do you even know why she's starting up Lex's 33.1 again?"

"Clark, we don't even know if that's what Mercy is really doing. For all we know, she could be putting together another merry gang of thieves who have meteor abilities to find out whether or not there are any more aliens on Earth like Doomsday."

"Which is exactly why you should've told me about this as soon as you found out Tess was releasing patients from Belle Reve. People could be getting hurt and—"

"And all you want to do is stand here and argue!"

"Don't even start turning this around on me, Oliver. You were the one who was willing to kill Davis to stop Doomsday."

"To save millions, Clark! You know, I'm sorry if that goes against your whole belief system, farm boy, but we're heroes. Sometimes we have to make tough decisions in order to fight for the greater good and protect the innocent."

"Is that what you told yourself when you murdered Lex?"

"Okay, this is getting a little too out of control," Bart got in the middle of the two men. "You both need to take a serious chill pill and stop all this arguing before I make Dolphin Boy over here sick his piranha friends on you or something."

"What do mean 'make'?" AC eyed his teammate with his arms folded across his chest.

"The level of testosterone flying around in this room is getting ridiculous," Chloe entered the conversation once more, quickly losing her patience with all of the boys, "and it needs to stop before Dinah and I start smacking heads."

"Chloe's right," Dinah agreed with her friend. "We're all on the same team here. We shouldn't be fighting with each other over every little thing we do."

"But that's usually how we get everything done anyway," Victor pointed out.

Dinah slapped the backside of his head, which didn't hurt the half-robotic man at all, yet surprised him when she did it to him. "What did I do wrong?"

"That's for being a smart-ass," she said irritably, before walking over to Oliver and hitting him upside the head.

"Hey!" the blond gaped at his female teammate.

"And that's for not being honest with Clark."

The brunette-wigged blonde walked back over to Chloe's side, who whispered into her ear, "Thanks for trying to knock a little sense into them."

"Well, it was about time somebody put their foot down and told those boys to shove it where the sun doesn't shine."

"Especially in Oliver's case. I mean, can you believe he still hasn't gotten over what Davis did to him and Jimmy that night at the _Talon_?"

"He'll get over it eventually, Chloe. It may just take some time because his watermelon-sized ego was bruised more than anything down in that basement."

The two young women went into a fit of giggles before the sound of a throat clearing caused them to look up at Ollie and stop.

"Okay, now that we've all stopped acting like we belong on an episode of 'The O.C.', maybe we can actually get some work done. Chloe—"

"I'm on it," she replied, knowing exactly what he wanted her to do. The blonde took her place in front of the main computers and started typing away, while the rest of the team all stood behind her and watched her work. Within only a few moments, Chloe had successfully hacked into Belle Reve's database and began doing a search on the locations for any meteor-infected patients who had been transferred out of the institution within the last few weeks.

"Got it," she smiled at the computer screen. "According to these records, almost all of the patients with meteor abilities have been transferred to a restricted-access LuthorCorp facility in Star City."

"Almost?" Clark repeated, staring at his best friend. "You mean there could be more of them someplace else?"

"Yeah, but it'll probably take me a little more time to track down the rest of their locations. I was only able to find this one so quickly because the majority of the patients have been sent there."

"That's good enough for now," Oliver told her, touching her shoulder. "Keep working on it with Emil until you find out where Tess is holding the rest of them."

"All right, you know the drill, boys," he spoke to his teammates in a commanding tone, until the brunette cleared her throat. "—and Dinah. Suit up and be ready to leave for Star City in twenty minutes."

Just as Ollie and his gang were starting to leave Watchtower, Victor noticed that Clark wasn't joining them, so he stopped. "Aren't you coming with us, Kent?"

"Yeah, we could really use your help down there, amigo," Bart added.

"I think what everyone is trying to say here is," Oliver finally cracked a smile at him, "are you ready to step up to the plate and officially join the team, Boy Scout?"

* * *

**AN:** For anyone who's curious to know why I decided to do a Lois & Kara "girl talk" scene, these are my four reasons:

1.) Kara asking Lois advice about whether or not she should go out with Jimmy opens the gates for Kimmy.

2.) I thought it was time we finally heard Lois' thoughts on the Chimmy breakup, especially since we really didn't get it on the show. I got little vibes all throughout the eighth season telling me that Lois was more of a Chlavis supporter than a Chimmy one—most of my evidence is coming from episodes like **8x05:** _Committed_, **8x10:** _Bride_ and the deleted Chlo-Lo scene in **8x17:** _Hex_.

3.) Lana and Kara had plenty of girl talk moments in s7, so I thought it was only fair that Lois and Kara should too.

4.) Lastly, I thought it would be nice to add a little lighthearted humor into the dramatic mix of the Justice League's first appearance in my Chlavis story—which, of course, will continue on into the next chapter for their mission in Star City. :)

_**Please review!!!**_


	11. 9x06 Part II: Target

**Disclaimer:** Do I really have to say it for the eleventh time? Lol! I don't own anything.

**AN:** How do I even begin a Smallville-style Justice League mission? Oh, I know! Everyone on the team starts bickering! Lol! I'm just kidding! :D But as I promised, this is my first JL mission in the story, and I hope it was worth the long wait. There's no Chlavis romance in this chapter, as I'm sure you've already realized because it's JL-centered, but I promise there will be a Dollie moment to make up for it. ^_~

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter Eleven:** Target

"Yeah, we're in," Impulse grinned, after he and Clark sped past all of the LuthorCorp security cameras and broke into the south wing entrance into the restricted facility in Star City after Clark used his heat vision to disarm all of the alarms that would have gone off from their unauthorized entrance.

"Good," Green Arrow copied, while Cyborg hacked his way into the system's main power and shut down the whole perimeter. "Stay alert and stand by for further instructions."

"You got it, boss."

"I'm in," Cyborg announced.

Green Arrow was about to say something when he heard two security guards fall onto the pavement behind him, both of them unconscious.

"And the guards shouldn't give us much trouble after the lullaby I sang to them," Black Canary commented with confidence, standing beside Aquaman.

"Remind me to never piss you off," AC grinned at her.

"Let's try to stay focused here, guys," Green Arrow interrupted. "We're on a mission."

* * *

"Dude, so what do think Little Miss LuthorCorp would want with all those meteor-infected patients from Belle Reve?" Impulse asked his comrade while they were searching every room in the facility they passed by. "I thought she shut down 33.1 and was, like, completely against the whole idea of lab-rat experimentations."

"I thought she was too," Clark admitted. "I didn't want to believe Tess would sink so low that she'd start up Lex's experiments on people with abilities, but I should have kept my eye on her anyway. Ever since she tried to kill Davis and found out about my abilities last year, she's somehow been one step ahead of me. I should've known she was going to pull something like this."

"But she may not be experimenting on them, right?"

"Why else would Tess transfer patients out of Belle Reve?"

"Hey, I'm just saying—"

"It doesn't matter what the reason is, Bart. Tess took patients out of that institution for some master plan of hers. She's just like Lex. There's always some sort of villainous plot waiting to be hatched in everything she does."

"Any idea on what that take-over-the-world plan is, big guy?"

"I don't know, but I think it would help if we split up. We can cover twice as much ground that way. Just let me be the first one to know if you find anything unusual."

Then before Bart could breathe a word to Clark, Boy Scout fled the scene with his superspeed to do his own search of the site.

"Man, I hate it when he does that," Bart said under his breath.

* * *

"Okay, where to next, tin man?" Green Arrow asked Cyborg after the group took down ten security guards inside the LuthorCorp facility.

"The schematics say all of the patients have been locked up over on the southeast side of the plant, but that's not the only thing Lady Luthor had transferred here in the past few weeks. She's also holding at least two tons of refined meteor rocks, brand-new computers, top of the line GPS tracking devices, and enough weapons to arm a small third-world country over on the northeast side."

"Meteor rocks?" Oliver questioned him to make sure he heard Victor correctly. "Then that means—"

"Clark's in trouble," Dinah breathed out.

"My God, what have you gotten yourself into this time, Mercy?" Ollie whispered to himself, grateful that he could somewhat mask the fear written all over his facial expression with his sunglasses.

"We have to warn him," AC told his teammates.

"This is what we'll do," Green Arrow said, quickly putting his game face back on. "Cyborg and Aquaman, go to the southeast side and find out if the patients are still in their holding cells. If they are, be on your guard, but let 'em out. Black Canary and I will warn Boy Scout, then we'll go and find out why Tess brought meteor rocks to this plant."

"Whatever you say, green bean," Cyborg said to his leader before he and Aquaman started jogging in the opposite direction.

* * *

"Just keep your eyes peeled for anything suspicious," Green Arrow advised Clark through their Bluetooth headsets and ended the conversation there.

"Is Boy Scout not cooperating with his den father?" Black Canary teased her leader as they kept walking through the plant.

"Wouldn't be the first time," he scoffed in annoyance.

"Well, maybe if you—" Dinah was abruptly cut off when she heard someone from behind. She quickly whirled around and gave a LuthorCorp security guard a spin kick right in the jaw, knocking him out. Two more security guards tried to attack her and Oliver with tranquilizer guns, but they grabbed their arms in a flash and threw them on the cement ground for a knock-out punch. After a moment of silence went by, staring at each other to confirm they were alright, both superheroes thought the extremely short-lived fight was over, until five more security guards came out of hiding. Dinah was about to serve a low kick to one of them charging at her with a nightstick, when another came out of nowhere with a taser. Leaning up against a three-bar metal rail, she fought for control of the small device in a heated struggle. However, the black leather-clad blonde almost had it when, in attempt to hit her, the first guard accidentally struck the second in the ribs with his nightstick, thereby causing the first one to shock him with the taser and her to go over the railing!

"_Dinah__!_" Ollie cried out in horror, witnessing what had happened out of the corner of his eye. He went straight for her but, now off his guard, was immediately stopped from doing so when one of three LuthorCorp security guards he previously fought punched him in the gut. He fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around his stomach from the pain. Still concerned about Dinah though, Green Arrow forced himself to lift his head up long enough to look at the railing and, to his immense relief, see that his teammate was hanging over the edge.

_But he still...had to get to her...before it was too late!_

Using all of the strength in her arms and hands, Dinah was clinging onto the one of the metal bars for dear life. Not daring to look down, she squeezed her eyes shut and prayed she could hold on long enough for someone to pull her back over the rail. Although fear quickly sank in as Black Canary gradually felt her tight grip on the rail slipping from her leather gloves. Crying out in distress, the superheroine didn't know how much longer she could hold on before her strength gave out and she hit the cement floor from the two hundred-foot drop below her...!

"_Dinah__!_" Oliver yelled out in passionate concern again, knocking out the last standing LuthorCorp security guard with a sharp right hook. Finally free to come to her aid, he leaned over the railing and grabbed ahold of his teammate's right hand, using all of his strength to slowly pull her back up and over. Ollie gave Dinah some room to breathe, both down on their hands and knees, hearts pounding a mile a minute in their chests after the fighting struggle they just overcame.

In spite of the fact that she was still extremely exhausted and a little shaken up from coming so close to falling over that rail, Dinah was utterly grateful to Oliver for saving her life and she wanted him to know that. It took several moments of catching her breath and calming down to say anything, but when she finally could, Dinah inched her way over to the green leather-clad billionaire, who was still trying to catch his own breath.

"Oliver..." she whispered out weakly. "...you...saved me..."

"It was nothing..." he breathed out hoarsely. "I know...you would've...done the same thing...for me."

"But that...doesn't matter..." Dinah refused to let him be modesty for rescuing her. "Thank you."

"Anytime," he flashed his ten million dollar smile at her, regardless of the fact that he could still barely move.

"No, really," she pressed on, scooting closer to him with the little strength she had. "I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't been here."

"Well, you better...make sure nobody else... hears you say that," he chuckled before letting out a little cough. "Might ruin...your reputation there, pretty bird."

Dinah couldn't help but smile at Oliver's little quip, not realizing until now that she had moved so close to him that she could feel his warm breath against her skin. Yet in that same moment, Green Arrow also became just as aware of their closeness. She could barely see his eyes behind the black and green sunglasses he wore as a mask, but there was no mistake: he was looking straight at her...straight into her eyes. His chocolate brown eyes were pinned on Dinah, staring at her in such a way that it almost gave her goosebumps...like he suddenly saw her in a whole new light. And caught under his gazing eyes, the smile on Dinah's face slowly disappeared into a nervous expression. Their faces were mere inches away from one another, yet for some illogical reason that she couldn't explain, the blonde couldn't turn away.

Never having been this close to Dinah in the past, both physically and emotionally, Oliver found himself doing something had he had never done before—at least not with her. He brushed a few strands of her hair out of her face, which was now shoulder-length since Dinah decided to grow it out. He liked her hair longer and hoped she would continue to let it grow. His eyes traced over her lips...a deep shade of red from her shimmering cherry-flavored lip gloss. He stared into Dinah's hazel eyes, the color of them enhanced from her black and yellow makeup mask. Locked into an entrancing gaze that only certain other women in his life—namely Lois and Mercy—had been able to have such an effect on him, Ollie was completely stunned into silence.

_She was so...beautiful._

Head tilting just slightly off to the right, the charming, handsome playboy knew on an unconscious level that he was moving into dangerous territory with his teammate as he slowly leaned closer to her. This isn't the time or place, he tried to tell himself. She can't even stand you half the time, Ollie tried to remind himself. But nothing worked. He was hooked. And so was she. Whether it was fate or a freakish coincidence from rescuing her that brought them to this exact moment, Oliver knew they both wanted it. Yet just when his lips were about to brush against her red cherry-glossed ones, Ollie heard Cyborg say his code name through his Bluetooth, abruptly causing the pair to back away from each other.

"Did you find them?" the blond questioned Victor after he confirmed they found the holding cells of the meteor-infected patients from Belle Reve.

"No, the place has been stripped clean," Cyborg informed as he and Aquaman looked through the bulletproof glass of six individual cells and saw that everything from cots to pictures on the walls had been ripped away. "No one's been here for days. Mercer must have sent the patients somewhere else."

"Then get in touch with Chloe and Emil, and tell them to do a broader search. We'll meet you at the rendezvous in ten."

"Got it."

"What's wrong?" Dinah asked now their conversation was over, doing what she could to ignore the awkward tension she still felt between Oliver after their almost-kiss incident. "What did Victor and AC find out?"

"The patients are gone. Tess took them all someplace else."

"What are we gonna do?"

"The only thing we can do right now – hope Chloe and Emil track down all of the needles in this haystack soon so we can bring them to justice."

* * *

With his superspeed to help him blow past all of the security guards and X-ray vision to do a thorough search on at least one-third of the entire plant's grounds, Clark had easily done all of this in no time, yet still had come up short on clues to Tess' latest scheme. However, a silver bulletproof door with the words "Authorized Personnel Only" in large red letters quickly got the Kryptonian's attention. He ripped the door open with his bare hands, then tossed it off to the side like it was a football. Clark walked into the room, though didn't travel far when he suddenly felt weak in the knees and collapsed on the floor as half of the room lit up in green from Kryptonite.

"Chloe..." he whispered hoarsely into his Bluetooth, hoping she'd hear him.

"Clark, are you okay?" the blonde asked worriedly, knowing her best friend almost never sounded like that unless he was around Green K.

"Help me..." he begged, his voice so low now that she could barely hear him.

"Emil, Clark's in trouble," she informed him, grabbing ahold of his forearm for a second. "Tell Bart to get his lightning-fast rear in gear and go to the northeast side of the plant pronto." The physician nodded and immediately got in touch with Impulse, while Chloe turned her attention back to her best friend and the research she was working on for the league. "Don't worry, Clark, Bart's on his way."

He nodded to himself when he heard this, curling into a ball from the excruciating pain of the meteor rocks. Clark couldn't stand, he could barely breathe, but as he waited for his friend to come rescue him, his eyes traced around the restricted room that he had broken into. There were a couple of bows and Kryptonite arrows hung on one wall, guns with Kryptonite tranquilizing darts in them, computers with GPS satellite images tracking dozens of major cities, beautiful beaches, and barren deserts around the globe, and several handwritten Kryptonian symbols he never seen before but knew just by looking at them, all scattered on a large oval-shaped, glass table above him. It didn't take a genius for Clark to realize someone had recently been here, doing research on him or something related to his home planet, which meant whatever reasons Tess had for breaking those meteor-infected patients out of Belle Reve, they were connected to her obsessive quest to "help" him fulfill his alien destiny.

A gust of wind blew the papers all around the room as Impulse entered, immediately crouching down to assist his friend up after he saw him lying on the cold cement floor in agony.

"Dude, I knew you shouldn't have run off without me," Bart told him. He put Clark's arm around his shoulder and slowly helped the man that was more than twice his size out of the restricted area.

Once he was out of the room and no longer around the Green K, Clark was back to his old self within seconds.

"You okay, amigo?" Bart asked after Clark no longer needed him to stand up.

"I'll be fine," the farm boy nodded. "Thank you."

"No prob. Just don't go running off into the woods without me next time, okay?"

Ignoring his friend's last remark, Clark pressed the Bluetooth closer to his ear, as it had almost fallen off when he collapsed before. "Boy Scout to Watchtower, do you copy?"

"Loud and clear."

"We need to find out where Tess sent those patients as soon as possible, but we've got an even bigger problem on our hands now."

"What do you mean?" the blonde asked, casting a bewildered look at Emil for a few seconds.

"I think she broke them all out of Belle Reve and armed them with Kryptonite-laced weapons to do a global search for Kryptonian artifacts that Jor-El buried here on Earth."

* * *

**Did you really think I would go a whole "season" without Clark being exposed to Kryptonite at least once? LOL!**

**AN: I hope you all enjoyed the Dollie moment I came up with, especially since it was the only hint of romance in the chapter. I'm a big fan of Black Canary and Green Arrow's relationship, particularly in the Justice League Unlimited cartoon series, so I couldn't help adding the couple to my story. **

**Once again, I am so sorry about the delay, but work and college have been crazy for me this semester. Heck, if it hadn't been for my spring break, the wait probably would've been even longer! However, as a thank you for your patience, here's few things to look forward to in upcoming chapters:**

– **A day of family bonding for Chloe, Clark, Davis and Kara turns sour when they realize the key is missing.**

– **Sparks fly between Chloe and "Mason" while they take a stroll together in the park. Is Zod starting to fall for Kal-El's best friend? (This chapter is for you, xxh2o-fanxx!)**

**– After weeks of avoiding one another, Ollie and Dinah finally discuss their almost-kiss...which quickly leads to something more.  
**

**Down the road...**

**– Oliver gives Chloe and Davis the ultimate wedding present!**

* * *

**_Please review! - _How do you feel about the spoilers? Like 'em? Love 'em? I'll even take requests!_  
_**


	12. 9x07: Future

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**A/N: **If you read the spoilers I included in my endnotes from the previous chapter, then there shouldn't be too much surprise as to what's going to take place next. I know Queen Tower/Oliver's penthouse apartment in Metropolis was cut from the show so they could create the Ace of Clubs set, but I've decided not to "cut it" from my story – just wanted to make that clear. Anyways, I'd like to once again thank those of you who reviewed the last chapter, and I hope you all enjoy this one. Thanks for reading!

* * *

**Chapter Twelve:** Future

As far back as she could recall, Dinah never once felt more nervous than the way she did right now. She was on an elevator, on her way up to Queen Tower, Oliver's apartment, in Metropolis. He asked to see her privately but failed to tell her why in his brief voicemail. However, she didn't need a crystal ball to predict this private meeting was most likely concerning the "moment" they shared during their mission in Star City last month. Ollie was probably going to let her down easy and say it was mistake, a small moment of weakness on his part after just rescuing her. Granted, it _was_ a stupid moment of weakness and a mistake, yet Dinah was still nervous as hell to finally face him alone after dodging the bullets for weeks in attempt to avoid this exact moment.

The elevator door swung open when it reach the top floor to Oliver's apartment and Dinah walked into the loft, yet he was nowhere in sight.

"Ollie?" she called out. A moment of silence went by and her teammate was still nowhere to be found. "Ollie, are you here?"

"You're early," he said behind her.

Startled by the sound of his voice, Dinah quickly whirled around to face him. She was about to tell him off for scaring her, until she suddenly stopped dead in her tracks, stunned by what he was wearing—or wasn't wearing. Mouth partially open in surprise, her eyes traced over his shirtless, rock hard chest, which was tan and glistening in sweat from his recent yoga workout. The only thing he was wearing was a pair dark green sweatpants and a white hand towel over his left shoulder. Dinah was completely speechless.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"I got your message," she kept her cool, doing her best to not stare at his bare chest. "I thought you wanted to talk to me."

"I do. I just, uh, wasn't expecting to see you here for at least another half hour."

"Well, your message sounded urgent, so I came over as soon as I finished breakfast. I can see you're busy, though. I'll come back later."

Dinah took a few steps towards the elevator, only to be stopped when Ollie told her not to leave. She turned around and he gave her his million dollar smile, a smile that could make almost any girl go weak at the knees and turn into jelly. His womanizing charms usually had no effect on her, as they were only friends and teammates, but now Dinah almost felt like she was speaking to her schoolgirl crush.

"I mean, you're already here," Oliver grinned, "so I'll just take it in a little while. It's no big deal."

"No, Ollie, you should take your shower now. Besides, I have a few errands to run anyway. I'll come back later."

"Is it just me, or are you trying to avoid me?"

Taking her eyes off of him for a moment, she let out a sigh and then looked back up at her teammate again. "I've been avoiding you for weeks, Ollie. I thought even _you _would've picked up on that by now."

"Yeah, I did. That's kinda why I wanted to talk to you alone. I knew the guys would've kept hassling us or locked us in a closet somewhere if we tried to have this conversation in front of them."

"Well, before I try to make up another lame excuse to leave, tell me what's on your mind."

"Look, I know you've been avoiding me ever since we came back from our mission in Star City. I've been avoiding you too, but I want us to clear the air now so there isn't any more awkward tension between us. I don't like being this distance with you."

"It hasn't been fun for me either..." she admitted in a soft tone. However, anger quickly set in and Dinah realized she could get everything off her chest she had kept bottled up for so long. "But a simple apology isn't going to fix our collateral damage, Ollie."

"I know that, but if you just hear me out—"

"Do you have any idea what position you put me in after you rescued me that day? I mean, if Victor hadn't called you when he did, I probably would've become your next lollipop."

"Hey, wait a—it wouldn't have been like that all."

"Oh, really? Because all I need to do is flip open to the gossip column of today's paper to know 'what it's like' with you."

"I thought you knew me better than that, Dinah," Oliver looked at her with disappointment. "You know there's more to me than fancy cars and dollar signs. We're on the same team."

"The only thing I do know is, I'm not going to be another notch on your belt."

"I never asked you to be."

"You never had to!" she shot back angrily. "It was written all over your face. You were going to kiss me and—"

"You were going to let me."

This response caused the brunette-wigged blonde to stop her verbal assault and stand frozen in place as Ollie walked up to her.

"You can't deny it, Dinah, because I saw that same look in your eyes. You wanted me to kiss you as much I wanted to kiss you."

"That look," she spoke firmly, looking directly into his brown eyes, "was nothing more than a moment of—"

"Weakness?" he grinned at her, surprised she would use such a lame excuse on him. "Is that what you were going to say?"

"Isn't that what you usually tell your one-night stands just before you walk out on them the next morning?"

"No, I usually let the jewelry I send by courier do the talking after I've made those kinds of exits."

Dinah rolled her eyes at him.

_Typical Oliver._

"I've had enough of this. Goodbye, Ollie."

She turned and started to leave, only to be stopped again when her teammate spoke up once more.

"Then what will you believe?" he asked her, acting more serious this time around. "I would be willing to do anything to prove what I feel for you is real, because I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since that moment we almost kissed."

"'Real'?" she scoffed at him after she turned around. "You don't even know what the meaning of real is when it comes to relationships."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't stand there and pretend to think I don't know what goes on in your life when you're not out there trying to save the world as Green Arrow. Almost every relationship you've ever been in lasts about as long as the expiration date for a gallon of milk in your refrigerator. You make Jesse James look like an amateur."

"Do you really think that's all I'm looking for here? A quick romp in the sack?"

"You know what? I honestly don't know what to think. It's like there are two completely different sides to you, Ollie, and I never know which one is the real you."

"Go on," he encouraged, taking a few steps closer to her again.

Dinah didn't want to but knew she wouldn't be able to get Oliver off her back until he heard this. "Well, there's the one side of you that annoys the heck out of me. You're a cocky, confident womanizer, with a smile that could light up Broadway. You can have any girl that you want at the mere snap of your fingers and you know it. You're as stubborn as a mule sometimes. You always have to—"

"You know, I hope this is the side of me you find _less_ attractive and not the other way around."

She lightly smacked his side with the back of her hand and continued. "And then there's this other side of you that I've really grown to care about. I know you've made a lot of mistakes and sacrifices to become the hero you are today, but I also know how brave, decent, and kind you are. I know that part of the reason why you've dedicated your life to saving others is because you weren't able to save your parents, and I know you would do anything to help the people you care about. You're my leader, my teammate, and one of my closest friends."

For the first time in their conversation, Oliver was at a loss of words. He didn't know what to say after hearing Dinah's tender thoughts of him.

"So which one of those guys do you wanna be?"

"I guess that all depends on whether or not you want one of those two guys to be in your future."

"I can't stand the first guy," she said with a smile, walking closer to him.

"And what about the second?" he grinned before biting his bottom lip playfully.

"Him..." she trailed on for a moment, so close to Ollie now that her body was almost pressing up against his own. "...I can live with."

"Oh, well, I'm happy to hear that being with me isn't a _total_ inconvenience to you," he spoke sarcastically.

"Ollie..." she whispered, her lips now a breath's space from his.

Without giving it another thought, he cupped her right cheek with his hand, leaned down just slightly to meet Dinah at eye level and kissed her.

* * *

"Are you sure you know what you saw in there, Kal-El?" Kara questioned her cousin in his family's kitchen. "Isn't it possible you were just seeing things because you were weakened by the Kryptonite?"

"She has a point, Clark," Davis concurred. "Your eyes can easily play tricks on you whenever you're physically exhausted or ill."

"You know, as much as I hate to admit it, Clark, I think Kara and Davis are right," Chloe spoke truthfully before placing her hand over Davis' hand, currently sitting at the dining room table together.

Clark threw an accusing expression at his best friend, upset with her for taking Oliver's side too. The billionaire boy didn't believe the evidence he gathered that Tess had put a team together to search for Kryptonian artifacts around the world.

"Think about it from our perspective, Sherlock," the blonde argued. "The league has literally been scouring the globe for those artifacts you thought Tess was trying to find for weeks, and we've come up with zilch. You've searched the mansion, Tess' office at the _Daily Planet_, almost every LuthorCorp facility within a hundred-mile radius of Smallville, and even you came up with nothing to back your story."

"What about all those pictures with the Kryptonian symbols I found at the plant? Chloe, you and I both know the lengths Tess has gone to make me believe her psychotic theories of why I was sent to Earth. It's too much of a coincidence not to add up to the conclusion I drew out before."

"Fine, you're right. It does seem suspicious. It could also mean that Tess' gang of meteor freaks already found those artifacts, but—"

"See, that's my point. Tess could already have them. And what makes that even worse is, we have no idea what they do when they're all together. She's already kidnapped Davis twice, used him to release Zod, then captured his spirit with a crystal we didn't even know she had. There's no telling what she'll do next."

"So if these artifacts do exist and Tess Mercer really does have them, what are we going to do about it?" Kara wondered.

"I don't know," Clark whispered, "but we'll figure out something."

* * *

Still in the loft of his apartment, Ollie and Dinah were now making out on his black leather couch. She lightly traced her fingertips across his rock hard, bare chest, which caused him to groan. His lips sought hers with fervent kisses that left Dinah utterly breathless. He softly grazed her inner thigh, almost making her moan in pleasure. He brushed a few strands of her blonde hair behind her ear, as she taken off her brunette wig shortly after they began their makeout session, and began planting hot kisses across her jawline and throat. Dinah sighed in content at the feel of his lips on her skin; she couldn't resist him. She leaned her head against the armrest of the couch to give Oliver better access, which only encouraged and excited him. She didn't know how much more teasing she could take before all of her self-control flew out the window.

Dinah didn't have to remind herself of how fast Ollie usually "worked" when it came to women; he wasted no time at all. But there was something different about him now, something that she couldn't walk away from. The stolen moment they shared at the LuthorCorp plant in Star City changed everything, because in that one moment of time, Ollie wasn't Oliver Queen: Metropolis' #1 bachelor. He wasn't Green Arrow, or even the CEO of Queen Industries. He was just... Ollie.

Breaking the kiss, Dinah's lips curled into a smile. "Just when I think I've got you all figured out, you surprise me."

"The surprises have only begun, m'lady," he grinned confidently.

Oliver grabbed ahold of Dinah's hand and lifted her up from the couch at the same time he got up. He twirled her around once, which brought her into his arms, and smiled once more before planting another sweet kiss on her lips.

"Come on," he gently urged her to follow him with a small tug.

"Where are we going?"

"I still have to shower, remember?"

As red warning bells started going off in her mind, Dinah quickly let go of Oliver's hand and dropped it back to her side. "And what do you expect me to do while you're showering? Watch you from eighth row center?"

"Yeah, you can if you want, but, uh, I was kinda thinking more along the lines of actually joining me in the spotlight."

"Ollie!"

"What?" he chuckled. "Can't we have a little fun? Even superheroes need to have a little fun now and then."

"That isn't exactly my definition of fun."

"It's never too late to change."

Oliver pulled Dinah back into his arms and kissed her passionately. A good, long one that left her head practically spinning when they finally part ways several moments later.

"Do you Richie Rich snobs always have to get your way?"

"Yeah," he nodded, trying very hard not to stare at her sweet lips.

"Fine, then you have to do something that I want to do after we're finished."

"Name it," he smiled brightly, liking the sound of where this conversation was going.

"We have to talk about Chloe and Davis."

Oliver frowned. "What about them?"

"How long are you going to continue this stupid hate fest with the guy?"

"Davis didn't try to steal my lunch money out in the schoolyard, Dinah, he almost killed Jimmy and I down in that basement."

"But it wasn't him, at least not completely. Even you yourself said his feelings for Chloe were genuine, and isn't that what you want for her? To be with someone who truly loves her?"

"Of course I want Chloe to be happy with someone who loves her. That's not the point, though."

"Yes, it is. Whatever happened between you three down in the _Talon_ basement is ancient history now."

"Easy for you to say."

"Ollie, Chloe is going to marry Davis. And as her friend, she needs to know that you support their relationship before the wedding day comes, otherwise she'll never forgive you for it."

Easing up, the billionaire boy began to see Dinah's point. "She won't, will she?"

"Which is why you need to talk to her about this as soon as possible."

"You're right."

"Good. I'm glad to see you're finally going to apologize to Chloe and make amends for your egoistical stubbornness."

Oliver grinned before replying, "Yeah, well, there will be plenty of time for that..." He stopped mid-sentence to scoop her up into his arms, causing her to cry out in surprise. "...later."

His smile only grew bigger when Dinah lightly smacked his chest for picking her up like that. Effortlessly carrying her across his apartment bridal style, he ignored his teammate's pleads to put her down and led her towards his bedroom.

* * *

"Have you guys given any thought to baby names yet?" Kara asked Davis and Chloe later that same afternoon at the dining room table.

"We've thought of a couple for it's a boy," Davis admitted with a smile.

"Such as?"

"I like the name Gabriel, after my dad," Chloe said before taking a sip of her hot tea.

"And I like the name Matthew," he put in his two cents.

"Well, if it's a boy, you could call him Gabriel Matthew," Kara suggested.

"That's what I said!" Chloe burst out. "I love the name Gabriel Matthew Bloome."

"Hey, I had no objections," Davis countered, taking ahold of his fiancée's hand and kissing it affectionately. "I think it's a great compromise."

"You're so sweet," she said in a soft tone, cupping his cheek just before she leaned in to kiss him on the lips.

"You know, I was the one who picked out Clark's name when Aunt Lara first told me she was pregnant with him," informed Kara.

"Really?" Chloe looked across the table at her with surprise. "You named him Kal-El?"

"What if it's a girl?" Clark asked, finally entering the conversation.

"If Davis had it his way, he'd probably name her Persephone," Kara winked at him.

"Persephone?" Clark repeated in confusion. "The Queen of the Underworld?"

The threesome all laughed at him knowing he didn't have a clue as to why Davis "liked the name so much."

"Can you believe you're already heading into the third month of your pregnancy, Chloe?" Kara smiled cheerfully at her future cousin-in-law after they finally settled down.

"I know," the blonde grinned at her, gently rubbing her stomach. "The time is going by so fast. It feels like I just found out I was pregnant yesterday."

"Are you scared about giving birth?"

"I was a little bit at first, but now I can't wait. I never thought I'd be this thrilled to become a mom."

"And hopefully I'll be declared a free man before the baby comes so I can be in the delivery room with you," Davis said with a hint of sorrow in his voice.

"You will be," she promised him. "With Lois and Clark on the job, it's only a matter of time before this 'Cops' marathon is over."

"Speaking of time," the farm boy interrupted, "have you two decided when you want to get married?"

"We wanted to get married before the baby comes," the blonde admitted, "but with Davis still wanted for murder and my pregnancy quickly rolling along, we both agreed it would probably be best if we just waited until after the fireworks are over."

"Well, if you're worried about Davis," Kara chimed in once more, "you know that wouldn't be a problem for Clark and I. We can superspeed you two anywhere on this planet in a heartbeat. Say the word, and you can be husband and wife on some tropical island by nightfall."

"We know that and we really appreciate the offer, but at least by waiting we can invite all of our friends and family to the ceremony."

Davis let out of Chloe's hand, got up from the table and went off to the living room, fuming in silent anger.

Perplexed by his sudden outburst, Chloe got up from the table and walked towards him, only to stop when he put his hand out in front of her. "Davis—"

"No, Chloe. Not this time. I can't take this anymore. I've been stuck on this farm for months. I can't help clear my name. I can't go with you to your OB/GYN appointments to see how _our_ baby is doing. We can't even get married when we want to, and it's all because of me."

"No, it isn't. Davis, we've gone over all of this before. You know it wasn't your fault that you were born with a monster living inside of you. You did everything you could to repress Doomsday from slaying everyone on this planet, including Clark."

"No, I just did the dirty deed at a slower pace instead."

"Davis..." she whispered his name. "None of that matters anymore. It's in the past. You're human now. You always were to me."

Chloe's soft spoken words hit him like a ton of bricks. Her willingness to help others in need and her determination to see the good in him was part of the reason why he fell in love with her so quickly after they first met. Yet the guilt of those fifty lives he took to tame the beast, of lying to everyone he knew—even her—still consumed him. On some level it always would, and no amount of lectures from Clark or kisses from Chloe could change that. It was the price he had to pay for committing such a sinful crime multiple times.

"It doesn't excuse the fact that I killed—"

"Davis, I know I can't ease the pain away from the things you've done, but I still want you to know that it will _never_ change the way I feel you. Not after the way you tried to sacrifice yourself to save Clark."

"It won't?" he looked at her wistfully.

"Never," she shook her head, wrapping her arms around his neck. "And I promise you that we will figure out a way to declare you're innocent. Then we'll welcome a beautiful baby boy or girl into this world, get married in front of all of our friends and family in what I hope will be a Doomsday-free wedding, we'll find a place of our own, and spend the rest of our lives together as a family...just like you said we would..._._ Just like Hades and Persephone, right?"

He nodded, staring deep into her emerald green eyes. Davis wrapped his muscular arms around her, buried his face in the side of her neck, as Chloe ran her fingers through his short hair to calm his nerves.

"I love you," he breathed softly onto her skin, which sent a small shiver down her spine. He planted small butterflies kisses on neck, and Chloe slowly shut her eyelids while she enjoyed the tingling sensation of his lips on her skin, until he lifted his head back up and pulled her even closer to him. "I always have."

"I love you too."

Clark and Kara watched the couple's affectionate moment together with split thoughts. Kara smiled at them, whereas Clark did everything he could to hold it together. Chloe and Davis were an engaged couple, completely in love and expecting a baby in only a few short months, yet the thought of them together still made his stomach churn. The sight of public affection in general always made his stomach churn.

"I'm gonna go work on the tractor for a little while."

With his superspeed, Clark went from his family's dining room to the inside of the barn in the blink of an eye. He opened his father's red toolbox and grabbed a wrench. After he closed the toolbox, Clark spotted the old book where he kept the metallic key from his spaceship.

* * *

"_You never knew of its true power, did you, Kal-El? The key has been in your possession all this time, only to learn now that you could've brought back Kandor with it. Being trapped in that orb for over a year was almost worth finding out Jor-El's lack of faith in his son was greater than I thought. _"

* * *

The farm boy shook his head when he finally came out of his daze. He put the wrench in his hand off to the side, grabbed the book, opened it up, and to his horror, Clark saw that the key was gone!

"Kara!" he screamed out.

Not more than two seconds later, he heard a swoosh sound and his cousin was right beside him. "Kal-El, what is it? Are you alright?"

"It's gone, Kara. The key's gone."

* * *

**A/N:** I know I'm moving things between Dinah and Ollie a little faster than the way things go in Mythos, but you gotta remember that this is SV. Lol!

Thanks to **Rosel** (Sally) and **KJCullenHatterSalvitoreBloome** (KJ), I already have several great names in mind for if Chlavis has a baby girl, but if anyone else has a few names that they want to throw out there for consideration, I would really love to hear them. :)

_**Please review!**_


	13. 9x08: Intentions

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything.

**A/N: **I know it probably feels like I haven't updated the story in forever, but now I'm back! :) My summer break has finally given me a chance to write again, and I'm going to try very hard to finish the story by the end of the summer. So without further ado, here's the next chapter!

**Warning! **If any of you are Chlod (Chloe/Zod) fans, then this chapter is definitely for you. But don't worry, Chlavisers, Chloe is still completely in love with Davis and will stay with him. :)

I dedicate this chapter to you, **xxh2ofanxx**, for all of your amazing support! I hope you like it!

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: **Intentions

"What made you decide to have our counseling session here, Chloe?" Zod asked the blonde in his thick British accent while they were strolling through a quiet park in Smallville one Wednesday afternoon.

"I thought it would be good for you if we had our session in the same place—"

"—where I received my powers," he finished for her.

Chloe looked across her shoulder at Mason and gave him a small smile. Sometimes it amazed her to see how intuitive he was; it was almost as if he could read her very thoughts. "Believe it or not, many of my patients don't have the courage to face Smallville after they're infected, so I've found a private session or two in Smallville helps them to not only terms with their powers, but also with the place where they got them."

"I never thought of it that way before."

"That's why I'm here."

Zod smiled at her, a real smile. However, after he realized what he had just done, he slowly turned away, disgusted and furious with himself. He had spent months getting to know Kal-El's closest ally, learning all he could about her. Mason Riley could get closer to Chloe than Zod ever could, and that was why he chose to carry out his mission this way. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer is what the humans always say. Yet in all the time he had spent growing close to Chloe, close enough now that last week she even admitted that she thought of him as a friend, he hadn't once come across Kal-El. True, the less Kal-El knew about him, the better. But it was never his intention to keep his faux identity a secret from Jor-El's son this long. He planned to reveal himself as Mason to Kal-El through his professional relationship with Chloe weeks ago, yet something always stopped him...**.**

**

* * *

**_  
Tess walked into the library to see Zod sitting behind her desk, looking at something on her laptop, with a glass of red wine, which stopped the redhead in her tracks. _

"_What the hell do you think you're doing?" she demanded, holding onto a shiny black folder in her right arm._

_Not surprised to see her, Zod looked up from the screen as calm as anyone could be. "Simply checking on our progress."_

"_I told you that I would give you regular updates on the whereabouts of the Kryptonian artifacts and I have," she said, walking up to other side of her desk. "So you have no reason to go snooping through my computer files."_

"_On the contrary, my dear Tess, I see that you have been keeping something from me for weeks."_

"_What?"_

"_You neglected to tell me that you've found almost all six artifacts Jor-El buried here on Earth, no thanks to that team of metahuman miscreants you put together." _

_Even though the redhead knew she was on his radar, standing in the spotlight, she kept her cool. "I was going to tell you—"_

"_You are many things," the Kryptonian general interrupted Tess as he go up from her black leather chair and walked towards her, "but a good lair is not one of them." Once he was standing in arm's length of her, Zod spoke again, but in a whisper this time. "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner?"_

"_Because I couldn't trust you," she whispered back. _

_He smirked at her, impressed by the way this human pest could hold her own against him. "I admire your bravery, Tess, but admiration only goes so far with me."_

"_Despite the fact that I've done everything you've asked to gain your trust in this partnership, I know you still don't trust me."_

"_As I recall, you were the one who said trust was never part of our little game." _

"_At least I'm keeping my end of our bargain, Zod..." she paused just for a moment, then said, "...or should I say Mason?"_

_His demeanor quickly changed from intrigued and entertained to provoked. "That is of no concern to you."_

"_You're attempting to gain Chloe Sullivan's trust by posing as a meteor-infected businessman from England..." Tess smirked at him, proud that she once again had the upper hand in their business deal. "I never thought I'd see the day where Krypton's #1 evil doer would resort to such __**primitive**__ tactics to get what he wants."_

_In the blink of an eye, Zod grasped onto her throat, easily choking the young woman with one hand of his superhuman strength. "I am __**nothing**__ like your inferior race."_

_

* * *

_  
"I may be overstepping the counselor-patient boundaries by asking you this, Chloe, but I was just curious to know how you received your powers before they were taken away? Was it during the first or second meteor shower?"

Chloe hesitated for a moment, not sure if she should be completely honest with Mason about her former powers, yet it only took the inquisitive look in his eyes for her to decide. Learning more about others with abilities probably makes him feel less like an outsider and more comfortable with sharing his feelings, she thought. So if that's what it takes for him to open up, telling the story about her meteor powers was worth the risk of opening up old wounds.

"Neither."

"Neither? Then how were you infected?"

"Even though my powers were latent until I was twenty, I was exposed to meteor rock radiation years before I moved to Smallville." A smile graced her lips when she suddenly thought about her old reporter days in high school. "But I guess you could say my interest in our paranormal reality _really_ began after I moved to Smallville in the eighth grade."

"Why then?" he raised an eyebrow at her.

"Shortly after I moved here, I started noticing how many bizarre, inexplicable phenomenons occurred after the first meteor shower hit. I began collecting newspaper clippings, magazine articles, pretty much anything strange that centered around the meteors in the scrapbook that eventually mutated into what I called the Wall of Weird."

"So, in other words, you became obsessed with the meteor rocks and everything they did to the planet."

"Got it in one, Magnum P.I."

Zod chuckled. "Well, it finally sheds some light on some lingering questions I had about you when we first met."

"See, this is why I encourage all of my patients to participate in group counseling," the blonde said in a firmer tone, "because listening to others going through the same things you've gone through really helps them accept their powers."

Zod was about to say something in reply when Chloe suddenly spoke first.

"Sorry," she breathed out, calming down. "I didn't mean to go Dr. Phil on you."

"No, it's quite all right. In fact, it was almost entertaining. I've never seen you this side of you before."

Another sweet smile traced her lips before she could say, "If learning about my meteor powers helps you to accept your own, Mason, then ask away. I'm an open book."

She gestured for him to come and sit with her on a vacant green bench underneath the shade of the trees. Zod followed and sat beside her on the bench.

"Okay, so what else is Curious George interested in learning about today?"

"What was your meteor power?"

"I was an empath."

"You mean, you were a healer?"

"Yeah, and the side effects from using my powers definitely weren't something to rave about on the Today Show," she said before taking a long pause. "For a long time my healing ability really scared me, because every time I used it, I never knew which time would be my last."

"You were afraid that using your powers would one day kill you?"

"Mason, I died twice using my powers to heal my cousin from a gunshot wound and resurrecting someone from the dead."

"That definitely puts the phrase 'a brush with death' in a whole new perspective."

"Sometimes I felt like my powers were more of a burden than I could handle, but eventually I realized that my powers weren't a curse. I realized they were a gift... just like yours are. "

* * *

"_Did you honestly think you could keep something like this away from me?" Tess questioned Zod a few minutes after he finally released her from his death grip. _

"_Chloe Sullivan plays no part in our deal, so what I do with her should be of no concern to you."_

"_Concern is hardly the word I would use to describe my interest in your relationship with Clark's best friend."_

"_Curiosity would be more appropriate for you."_

"_You told me that you would reveal yourself to Clark and gain his trust in order to receive the information you needed from him, but the only one you've grown close to this entire time is Chloe."_

"_She is Kal-El closest ally. By gaining her trust, it will only make gaining his trust even easier."_

"_True," the redhead concurred, then handed him the black folder that she had been holding onto. Zod opened it and took out a picture of Chloe and himself when he possessed his son's body here in the Luthor library, a picture that was taken from Tess' security cameras when the episode occurred several months earlier. "But she was also the one you chose to serve as your queen when you were inhibiting Davis' body last fall."_

_Looking back up at her, Zod's suspicions began to heighten. "Are you implying that I want this human pest all for myself?"_

"_Even though she's in love with your son? Yes, that's exactly what I'm implying."_

"_The only reason why I chose Chloe Sullivan was because I needed a female from your pathetic race to provide me an heir."_

"_Maybe that was true then, when you didn't know who she was."_

"_I knew what kind of person she was even then," he countered angrily. "I had my son's memories of her to tell me so."_

"_Admit it. Now that you've gotten to do more than just scratch the surface by developing this so-called patient-counselor relationship with Chloe, she's starting to get underneath your skin, isn't she? Just like she did with Davis."_

_

* * *

_  
"No offense intended, Miss Sullivan, but you're really starting to sound like Dr. Phil now."

Chloe grinned when she saw him laugh and held back the urge to laugh with him. "It's true, though, Mason. Your powers _are_ a gift, so you shouldn't be ashamed to have them."

"Well, I will admit that I've become less so since we began our sessions together."

"Good. That's what I like to hear."

"May I be honest with you about something slightly off the subject, Chloe?"

"Shoot."

"I have nothing but good thoughts when I think of you, and I think what you're doing for the meteor-infected community is amazing."

"Okay, now you're just trying to score brownie points with me so I'll give you a good evaluation at the end of the month," she laughed.

"No, I mean it. I could tell from the first moment I met you that you were an incredible young woman, and the time I've spent with you since then has only proven me right."

Mason's sweet compliments made her blush and smile a simple "thank you" to him in return.

There were moments – several of them, in fact – when Mason made her think of Davis and of when she first met him – flirting with a perfect stranger that quickly turned into friendship. And Mason was becoming just that – a friend she could turn to and briefly escape the never-ending battles Clark always had to conquer. It wasn't that she didn't want to be there and support him through whatever obstacles he had to face, because Chloe knew she would give up everything she had for her best friend in a millisecond if it meant she could help him become the hero he wants to become. But it was nice to come up for air every once and a while and live a normal life – normal for her, anyway. However, being with Davis was helping her achieve that, too. Just the fact that she could be completely herself around him without ever having to hide anything, including Clark's secret, while they planned their wedding together and excitedly waited for their baby to be born...it's the life she had dreamed about since the day Davis was finally free from Doomsday's control.

"You're not like most people, Chloe. You're not selfish, or deceitful, or willing to go the lengths some are willing to travel to always win – damn the consequences."

"You'd be surprised," she said in just above a whisper.

* * *

"_I know that's why you've spent so much time with her," Tess concluded, smirking. "It's not because Chloe holds the key to the inside information you're looking for, it's because she's cracked through your armor and is opening up a side of you that you never thought existed."_

"_You're getting too close to the fire, Tess. Stay out of my personal affairs before you get burned."_

"_For someone that you say means absolutely nothing to you, you're pretty quick to defend her."_

"_Because you're trying to pull at strings where there are none, and it's testing my patience."_

"_Then what do you expect to gain from this relationship with her?"_

"_Ultimately the same thing I expect from you."_

"_We both know Chloe would never help you find Kandor, especially if she knew your true identity."_

"_Which is why she will continue thinking I'm Mason and you won't get in the way of that."_

_Tess flashed a coy smile at her business partner, no longer buying his claimed intentions towards Clark's best friend. "There's a thin line between love and hate, Zod, and you're flirting with it."_

_Fed up with her taunting games, he grabbed ahold of her throat once more, and with his superspeed, roughly pressed her up against the wall beside the red and purple stained-glass window. Zod lifted her up with ease, his eyes throwing daggers at her from his fiery temper. Tess was choking, grasping onto his hands with her own, her emerald green eyes pleading with him to let her go. _

"_Interfere in my affairs again, and being burned won't be the only thing you'll have to worry about." _

_With that, Zod released his vise grip on Tess, which caused her to fall helplessly onto the floor. She was so weak, coughing and desperately gasping for breath, that she didn't even have the strength to look up at him before he supersped out of the library.  
_

_

* * *

_

"I've made a lot of decisions, right and wrong, for what I thought was the greater good, Mason," Chloe admitted in a hushed voice, her eyes averting from his. "I've said and done a lot things in my life that I wish I could take back."

"Doesn't mean I think any less of you."

In spite of the fact she was a little stunned by his comment, the blonde smiled at her British friend and client, not expecting him to say something like that when he held her in such high esteem for being so innocent. "Please don't make me a saint."

Another chord struck as Chloe realized she had said the exact same thing to Davis last year at the Isis Foundation when she tried to convince him that he wasn't a murderer.

_Why were there so many parallels between Davis and Mason?_

"I'm sorry," he admitted honestly in soft tone. "I don't mean to. I just think you're one of the most...amazing people I've ever met."

Zod didn't realize what he said to her until he heard the words out loud. However, unlike before, he didn't turn away in disgust or self-loathing for acting like a human with real emotions. Instead, he got up from the bench, grabbed ahold of her hand, and then helped her up. When he continued to hold Chloe's hand after they were both standing, Zod felt something on her left ring finger. An engagement ring. He looked down and saw a diamond and sapphire-studded engagement ring. His mouth partially opened up, realizing she was engaged..._to his son_.

As soon as Chloe sensed Mason's abrupt discomfort upon seeing her engagement ring, the blonde suddenly felt like she was on display. She let go of his hand, her eyes averting from his once more, feeling guilty for not telling him she was engaged. Granted, she hadn't told any of her other patients that she was engaged—mostly of out fear that they might connect her engagement to Davis—but Mason wasn't just a patient to her. He was her friend, and she hadn't been honest with him.

"You're—You're engaged?" he asked. It really wasn't a question though, as Zod already knew the answer.

"Yeah, for a couple of months now."

"Well, that's—that's wonderful." He did his best to give her a fake smile of congratulations on the outside, but on the inside, Zod was ready to incinerate his son and everything else in this stupid farm town into a large pile of smoldering ash with his heat vision out of pure rage.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you—"

"There's no need to apologize, Chloe. I'm your patient, not your best friend."

"But you're also my friend, Mason. I should have told you about this sooner."

"Nonsense. Your personal life is none my business. I shouldn't have even brought the subject up to begin with. I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine. I just don't want you to stop trusting me, especially since I'm counseling you right now."

"I trust you completely, Chloe," he assured her, taking both of her hands in his own. "Please don't ever doubt that. Besides, it was my fault for acting so surprised when I shouldn't be at all. You're an incredible woman, and I'm sure the two of you will be very happy together."

Zod leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you," she smiled.

* * *

**Later that same night...**

_Chloe was sifting through a small stack of papers at the Isis Foundation when she heard someone walk into her office without knocking. She turned around and saw that it was Mason, who was dressed in an expensive black dress shirt and pants._

"_Mason, what are you doing here this time of night? Is everything all right?"_

"_I need to tell you the truth."_

_She threw him a bewildered look. "The truth about what?"_

"_How I feel about your engagement. I think it's a sham."_

"_What are you talking about? It's not a sham. I getting married in—"_

"_I don't care. Call it off. You shouldn't be marrying him."_

_Zod noticed that if it wasn't for the fact that she was already pressed up against the black table, Chloe would have stepped back in defense. "Okay, Mason, I don't know where this coming from, but it needs to stop." _

"_No, I'm not going to stop," he pressed on, gliding across the floor so fast that the blonde could have almost sworn he used his ability. He took her hands in his own and caught her gaze. "Not until you change your mind about this absurd engagement and admit you have feelings for me."_

"_Mason, I don't play baseball much, so why are you throwing things at me from left field?"_

"_This isn't a game, Chloe. I have feelings for you. I couldn't admit it to myself then, but I've had feelings you since the first moment I met you, and I know you feel the same way about me too." _

_Zod leaned in to kiss her on the lips, but she slapped him across the face and threw daggers at him with her eyes. "This conversation is over. Get out."_

"_I'm not leaving."_

"_Get out before I call the police, Mason!"_

"_You could call the damn Pentagon and it still wouldn't make a difference because I'm not going anywhere!"_

_She made a dash for the door, but just as her hand grabbed ahold of the knob, Zod used his superspeed, quickly whirled her around to face him and pressed both of his hands against the door, preventing her from leaving. _

"_You didn't really think you could get away from me, did you?"_

"_Mason, why are you doing this? This isn't you. I know you, and this isn't you."_

"_I'm a man who always gets what he wants, Chloe, and what I want right now is you."_

_Zod cupped both sides of her face with his hands and pulled into a rough kiss. Chloe tried to push him away, but it only made him press her against the door even harder. He pulled away for a brief moment, just long enough to tilt his head to the other side before he leaned in to kiss her again. This kiss was gentler than the last one, though. Zod kissed her sweetly, tenderly, knowing it would be Chloe's undoing. And it was. She quickly melted into the kiss and wrapped her arms around his body to pull him even closer to her. Her hands ran up down his back and through his dark hair, causing him to moan against her mouth in pleasure. His lips brushed hot, wet kisses along her throat that quickly traveled down to her collarbone when Chloe threw her head back to encourage him. He cupped the back of her neck and pulled her into another searing kiss. Tongues clashed, hands explored the unfamiliar territory with exhilaration. When Zod felt her fingertips brush along his shirt-covered chest, he thought it would be his own undoing. _

_But playtime was over._

_In one swift motion, Zod broke the kiss and scooped her into his arms. He used his superspeed and brought them over to her couch in a flash. After he placed Chloe on it, Zod carefully got on top of her, making sure not to crush her with all of his weight. Yet just when he was about to kiss her again, ready to make her his, he heard a small clanking sound coming from the chain around his neck and realized it was his silver dog tags, which were no longer tucked behind his black dress shirt but dangling right in front of Chloe's face._

_Her green eyes fluttered open, and when she saw the "Z" symbol she knew so well, she gasped the only word she could say, "__**Zod**__..."_

_

* * *

_

Zod shot up from his bed in a light sweat. Realizing what had just occurred was only a dream, he took several deep breaths and tossed his black silk sheets off to the side. The cool night air coming through his open window felt like a bucket of ice water splashing against his warm, sweaty skin. Except for the moonlight shining, the bedroom was in total darkness. The only sound he could hear was the sound of his own breathing, heavy and uneven. Zod was fueled with so much passion, so much anger that he felt he could destroy the entire world right now with all of his powers combined.

"Damn you, Tess," he cursed the fiery redhead for her keen perception, as his intentions towards Kal-El's best friend had changed over time. "But mark my words...if it's the last thing I do before I take this planet as my own...Chloe Sullivan _will_ be mine!"

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, breathe, Chlavisers, breathe. It was only a dream. Lol! But as you probably saw throughout the chapter, **8x02: **_Plastique_, **8x06: **_Prey, _and **8x20: **_Beast _were my big inspirations towards developing Chlod's relationship in this episode. If you think back to when Davis told the myth of Hades and Persephone's relationship to Chloe in "Surprises," then you'll be able to see where I'm going with this whole Davis/Chloe/Zod love triangle.

Davis = Hades

Chloe = Persephone

Zod = Pirithous

(You know what I'm talking about, KJ. Lol!)

The funny thing is, if someone had told me I was going to write a Davis/Chloe/Zod love triangle into my story a year ago, I would have told them they're nuts. But now I'm all excited about it! :D Anyways, I hope all of you enjoyed this episode and will continue reading because Oliver's apology and surprise wedding present to Chlavis is in the next chapter!

_**Please review!**_


	14. 9x09: Amends

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**A/N: **It's the chapter you've all been waiting for! Well, I don't know if you've _all_ been waiting for it, but I do know many of you have. :) I would just like to give everyone who reviewed the previous chapter a quick thank you before the next one begins and hope everyone continues enjoying my Chlavis story. Happy reading!

_I dedicate this chapter to __**Sam Witwer**__ (Davis), because his amazing support towards Chloe and Davis' relationship on the show inspired the main plot for "Amends."  
_

_

* * *

_

**Chapter Fourteen: **Amends

Dinah awoke to the sound of Oliver, who wasn't wearing anything except for a pair of silky black boxers, walking into his bedroom with a tray of food one sunny Saturday morning. There was a bright smile on his face as he climbed back into bed with her, carefully setting the wooden tray in front of her. On it, there was a plate of eggs cooked sunny-side down, a stack of buttered toast, two tall glasses of freshly-squeezed orange juice, and a sunflower in a small glass vase for a sparkle of decoration.

"What's all this?" Dinah wondered with a smile, sitting herself up in the bed.

"I thought I'd start our day out with a little breakfast in bed," Ollie grinned at his girlfriend, before leaning over to kiss her on the lips.

"I didn't know you could cook."

"Hey, don't sound so surprised. Just because I grew up with servants and butlers, doesn't mean I can't cook for myself."

"Does that mean toast and eggs are the extent to your culinary skills, Emeril?"

"Yeah, basically," he admitted, chuckling.

Dinah laughed with him, reaching up to kiss his bare cheek affectionately for his thoughtfulness. "Thank you. You were very sweet to think of me."

"Anything for my pretty bird."

"_Your_ pretty bird, huh?" she said with a coy smile.

"You better believe it," he replied against her lips in just above a whisper, draping an arm around her.

Forgetting all about the food, Oliver and Dinah wrapped their arms around each other, began to kiss passionately, and laid back down on his bed to make love.

* * *

_**Meanwhile...**_

The sunlight seeping through Martha Kent's bedroom window and sound of birds chirping awoke Chloe. The warmest smile graced her lips when she suddenly felt Davis kissing her neck lovingly. She wrapped her arms around his body, wishing they could stay like this forever. _Just the two of them...living in blissful peace._ However, his soft lips left her neck a few moments later, only to brush against her mouth hotly and their morning makeout session in bed began. Every kiss ignited more passion than the last one. Every sweet caress, every moan sent both of them closer to the edge, until neither could wait any longer. They made love for the rest of the morning, filled with moments that were soft and sweet and moments that were filled with heated passion and pure lust. Afterwards, the happy couple laid in bed, spent yet content while they basked in the afterglow of their lovemaking. As she stroked his muscular arms up and down, which were securely wrapped around her body, he kissed her tousled hair, then buried his face in her neck to lavish more sweet kisses along her neck and shoulders.

Once they had finally decided to get up, shower and dress, Chloe and Davis went downstairs to find Clark and Kara eating a late breakfast together over the island countertop.

"Kal-El and I were wondering when you two were coming down," Kara was the first to speak up.

"What?" Davis tried to act all innocent. "Chloe and I aren't allowed to sleep in on Saturdays anymore?"

"I would hardly call what I heard up there for past three hours sleeping," Clark countered.

"Were we that loud?" Chloe whispered to her fiancé.

"Yes," the cousins replied in unison.

"Sorry," she and Davis whispered apologetically.

Just then, the foursome heard someone walking through the screen door into the kitchen. They looked over and saw Jimmy come in with a smile on his face.

"Hey, guys. What's up?"

Chloe, Clark and Davis remained silent, all three of them turned away from him while Jimmy began to feel a little self-conscious.

"Did I come over at a bad time?"

"No," Kara smiled, walking towards him. She gave her boyfriend a quick peck on the lips, happy that he had come over for their date early. "We were just talking."

"Jimmy, why are you here so early? I thought you guys weren't going to the movies until one," Clark commented.

"That was the plan, CK, but Oliver told me to come over early."

"Oliver?" Chloe repeated, confused. "Did he say why? Is everything all right?"

"As far as I know, yeah. He sounded fine on the phone. All he said was to be over here by eleven because he wants to talk to you and Davis."

"About what?"

"I thought you guys would know, but I guess we're all trekking through the dark forest without a flashlight on this one."

The five friends heard someone else come through the kitchen's screen door and saw Lois walk in.

"Lois," Chloe grinned at her cousin, walking towards the tall brunette to give her a hug hello. "What are you doing here?"

"Ollie called this morning and told me to come over to Clark's house ASAP. Didn't he tell you?"

"Looks like Oliver's been giving everyone the ETA to be here—"

"And we're the only ones who didn't know anything about it," Clark finished for her.

"Did Ollie tell you why he wanted you to come over, Lo?"

"No, all he said was he had something really important to tell you and Dimples, and that I had to be here for it. But let me tell you, when you only give a girl two hours notice to be somewhere, you better be grateful she can run around faster than Sonic the Hedgehog on Starbucks, because I was about to blow a fuse when Ollie said I had to be at the farm by 11:00."

"Then we're very grateful multitasking is one of your strong suits," Chloe smiled.

"Thank you."

The kitchen's squeaky screen door made sound for the third time in the last five minutes and everyone turned to see Oliver and Dinah walking into the house together holding hands.

"Well, what do you know? Looks like the gang's all here," Ollie remarked as soon as he saw Lois and Jimmy came over on time, despite the fact that he had given them such short notice to do so.

"We can see that," Clark said with a fake smile. "The question we're all wondering is why."

Lois, who was never one to beat around the bush, couldn't help but stare at Oliver and Dinah's closeness. "And what's with the hand holding? Are you two an item now or something?"

"Ollie would probably say you're closer with the 'or something,'" Dinah answered, before she smiled at the billionaire playboy, "but yeah, we are."

"We've been going out for a couple of weeks now, actually," he added, wrapping an arm around her slim waist.

"How did that happen?" Chloe stared at them, stumped. "Because the last time I checked, you two could hardly stand being the same room together."

"Let's just say it's funny how life's little wonders sneak up on you sometimes."

"Yeah, well, we'll get back to life's little wonders," Lois interrupted, "after you and Little Miss Talk Show Host tell everyone why you called us all here when I've got a deadline waiting for me at the _Planet_."

"Let's park it in the living room first," Kara suggested, her arm still wrapped around Jimmy's waist while his was wrapped around her shoulder. "We'll be more comfortable in there anyway."

After the group of friends all agreed and everyone walked into the Kent's living room, they scattered around and sat in various different spots. Chloe, Davis and Dinah occupied the couch, while Clark sat in his father's recliner and Lois sat on one of the armrests next to him. Jimmy and Kara chose to sit on the wooden stairs leading into the living room, and Oliver sat on the coffee table so he could be in front of Chloe and Davis while he talked to the couple.

"Look, before I get this whole Kleenex moment started," Ollie began, his fingers interlocked, "I just want both of you to know—"

"Oliver, wait," Davis stopped him. "You don't have to do this. You and Jimmy had every reason to be furious with me after what I did to you both in the Talon basement. I don't blame you for being angry."

"And I think we all know I've held onto the grudge long enough."

Davis remained silent this time, sitting back on the couch with Chloe, so Ollie could continue what he wanted to say.

"I was angry with you for more reasons than trying to kill Jimmy and I that night. Even though I knew you had real feelings for Chloe, I was angry with you because I thought you were using her. I thought she had turned her back on all her friends to help a crazed serial killer. But Dinah helped me realized that the person I was really angry with was myself. When I couldn't save Jimmy or myself from holding us in the Talon basement, it left the hero side of me feeling vulnerable, so I blamed you for that. It... It wasn't fair to you or Chloe."

Davis let out a sigh, not sure of what to say.

"And I know I'm a day late and a dollar short on this apology, but I hope you can both find it in your hearts to forgive me, because I really am sorry. For everything."

"Thank you," Chloe whispered out, close to tears, then got up off the couch so she could wrap her arms around Oliver and pull him into a hug.

After she pulled away from him a few seconds later, Davis stood up and said, "Don't sweat it, man. It's over and done with now."

"Better late than never, though, right?" Ollie grinned.

The two men wrapped one arm around the other and patted each other's back in a quick "guy hug."

"I'm glad that bump in the road is finally past us," Lois remarked. "It's about time."

Clark looked over at her, somewhat surprised she would add her two cents in at a moment like this. "Lois."

"What? It's not like we weren't all thinking the same thing."

"That's beside the point."

"Oh, put a sock in it, Smallville. We're all friends here. I was just being honest."

"You know, as much as I hate to interrupt this Kodak moment," Oliver chimed back into the conversation, "I wasn't exactly finished yet."

"You're not?" Lois stared at her ex-boyfriend in bewilderment.

"No."

"His apology was only the beginning," Dinah added. "Ollie's just getting started."

"No," Oliver continued, still sitting on the coffee table while he spoke to the engaged couple, "I, um... I wanted to do more than just tell you how sorry I am for giving you the cold shoulder these past few months, so I decided to get you both an early wedding present."

"Ollie, you didn't have to do that," Chloe cut in. "Believe me, the apology was more than I ever thought you'd give us. I was half-expecting you and Bart to play _Mission: Impossible_ and kidnap Davis on the day of our wedding so we couldn't go through with it."

"Well, I think everyone in this room has learned the importance of second chances the hard way at some point or another. Now I just want to prove I really meant what I said before."

"By giving us an early wedding present?"

Dinah and Oliver looked at each other with a smile and wink before the brunette-wigged blonde replied, "Scratch off the word 'present' and you got it."

Chloe and Davis, Kara and Jimmy, and Lois and Clark threw perplexed looks at one another until all three couples began to realize what Dinah was saying.

"I must be hearing things," Kara breathed out.

"There's no way..." Jimmy started, shaking his head in disbelief at Oliver.

"You're only kidding, right?" asked Clark. "I mean, you wouldn't just _give_ them a—"

"Does she need to spell it out for you guys?" Lois interrupted once again. "Ollie's playing Fairy Godmother and wants to give our Cinderella and Prince Charming their wedding early."

"_What__?_" Clark, Davis and Jimmy gasped out in unison.

"And not to add more stars than you're already seeing," Oliver grinned, "but I wasn't talking about throwing Chloe and Davis an early wedding here in, like, a month from now. I was actually thinking about having it tomorrow in... I don't know... say St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands? The weather's great over there right now."

As everyone, except for Dinah, gaped at the billionaire boy in utter shock, Chloe did her best to remain sane – at least on the outside. "Okay, let me see if I get this straight, Oliver. As an early wedding present to Davis and I, you're offering to take all of us to the Virgin Islands so we can get married _tomorrow_?"

"The eight of us can be in the air, toasting to your romantic beach wedding getaway with sparkling water, in less than three hours if your answer is yes."

Lois jumped off of the armrest to Jonathon's recliner, swept across the room, and grabbed her younger cousin's wrist. "Just give us a second."

Kara stood up from the wooden stairs, walked towards her cousin, and pulled him aside so they could also talk privately.

Davis, Jimmy, Oliver, and Dinah remained seated, as Ollie gestured the four of them with his index finger. "It seems we've been shockingly cut out of the loop."

"Chloe, you _have_ to take this trip," Lois urged her after they were out of earshot distance from their friends. "Oliver is literally handing you a wedding most people only get to dream about, free of charge. It's like winning the bonus round on _Wheel of Fortune_ without giving half of the money back in taxes."

"I don't want Oliver to think he needs to throw me a fairytale beach wedding because he feels guilty for hating Davis so long."

"He's trying to make amends for his mistakes and be a good friend by doing this. Besides, we both know money isn't an issue for someone like Ollie. The guy's worth more than Donald Trump."

"But what about all of the wedding plans I've already made? Davis and I were going to invite all of our friends and family to the ceremony here in Smallville. Dad wasn't at my last wedding, and no offense to Clark, but I really want him to give me away this time."

"You also said that what you wanted more than anything was to get married before the baby comes, and not to point out the obvious here, coz, but the flashing neon lights in Las Vegas don't get any brighter than this golden opportunity. Plus, nobody in the Virgin Islands would be looking for Davis. Heck, except for this state, all manhunts for Dimples have been called off – you can partially thank my handy work at the _Daily Planet_ for that, by the way."

Chloe sighed, then said, "I need to talk to Oliver."

Meanwhile, Kara had pulled Clark off to the side to discuss her worries and concerns over leaving town at a time like this.

"What Oliver is offering to do for Chloe and Davis is amazing, Kal-El, but I don't think it would be wise for us to leave Smallville right now."

"Why not?"

"How can you forget? The key is missing, that group of meteor-infected patients from Belle Reve is still out on the loose somewhere, and there's a strong possibility those Kryptonian artifacts could end up in the wrong hands if we don't retrieve all of them first."

"I realize that, but—"

"Kal-El, I don't want to rain on anyone's parade, but you know I wouldn't say something like this unless it was a matter of life and death, and in this case, I'm really beginning to think it is."

"I understand where you're coming from, Kara, I really do, but if Chloe and Davis decide to take this trip, we have to go with them. They've been through so much in the past year and a half, and I owe it to them to be there when they get married. Believe me, I want to find those artifacts as much as you do, especially now that the key is missing on top of everything else, but this situation is no different than when Oliver wanted me to track down Lex with him on the day of Chloe and Jimmy's wedding. My friends and family always come first."

The blonde nodded, finally agreeing with her cousin. "I'm sorry, Clark, you're absolutely right. Davis is your brother and my cousin, and Chloe is like a sister to me now. After everything Doomsday, Zod, and Tess Mercer has put them through, they deserve the chance to get married in a beautiful place with all of their closest friends and family there to support them, and that's exactly what they're going to have."

"Tess denied having any involvement with the patients' release or knowledge of the artifacts when I talked to her last week at the mansion, but I know she's behind it all and I know they're connected somehow. It's only a matter of time before she slips up, though."

Kara nodded again and wrapped her arms around Clark to give him a hug. "We have to find the key and those artifacts before Tess gets her greedy hands on them, Kal-El. It might be our only chance to find Kandor."

"I know," he replied soothingly, still holding onto his cousin.

"I have been so focused on becoming a family with you, Chloe and Davis these past few months, the kind of family I always wanted but never had with Zor-El, I lost sight of my mission. But finding that lost city and saving our bloodline means everything to me, Clark."

"I know it does, and I promise we will find Kandor. We will save our family."

"Thank you," she whispered into his shirt.

He kissed the top of her head and they let go of each other, then returned to their seats beside Lois and Jimmy.

"Are you okay?" Jimmy whispered to Kara with concern in his voice.

"Yes, I'm fine," she nodded, smiling when he wrapped his arm around her shoulders for comfort.

"So what's it gonna be?" Oliver asked Chloe and Davis once she sat back down on the couch.

After the pair turned to each other, Davis said to her, "You're the bride, Chloe, it's your decision. The only thing that matters to me is being with you and making you happy. If this is what you want, I'm all for it. But if you want to wait until the baby is born and just go along with our original plans, I'm all for that too."

"You would do anything to make me happy, wouldn't you?"

He nodded, "Because I love you more than anything and I always will."

Chloe smiled at her fiancé, then leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips. The sound of Clark and Oliver clearing their throats caused them to part ways a few moments later, with Ollie still waiting for an answer.

"Okay, before Davis and I even consider this," the blonde started, "we're going to have to play a round '20 Questions' first."

"My guess is those are your pregnancy hormones talking, but what the hell? I'm in the mood for a good laugh. Hit me with your best shot."

"What am I going to do about a wedding dress?"

"It's already taken care of."

"What?" she and Davis said at the same time.

"Yeah. I causally asked Lois last week if you had any wedding dresses for the big day in mind yet, and she told about this beach wedding dress that you fall in love with in some magazine – I don't remember the name of it now – so I bought it and it's carefully stored away in the jet as we speak."

"I knew you were up to something when you asked me that," Lois pointed at him. "I should've followed my instincts and found out what it was then."

"So much for a career in law enforcement, Lane," Jimmy joked.

The brunette rolled her eyes before saying, "Shut up, Jimmy."

"What about tuxes for the guys?" Chloe continued asking away.

"Done. I got all of their sizes a week ago, and I put them on hold at a local tuxedo shop I know in St. Thomas."

"Then I guess that means I don't need to ask about the dresses for Lois, Kara and Dinah, right?"

"Okay, I'm gonna stop you there, because I can clearly see where this is all going. Yes, I called Kara a few days ago and also asked her if you had chosen bridesmaid dresses yet. When she told me you had, I ordered them and also had them packed away on the jet. I've already made arrangements for your dad to fly and meet us where we land so he can walk you down the aisle. I checked with Emil, and since you're only at the beginning of your second trimester, he said you're still okay to fly. I personally know a Justice of the Peace on the islands who would be more than willing to marry you two lovebirds on a cliff at sunset tomorrow afternoon. And as an added bonus, you have reservations to stay in the honeymoon suite at the Ritz-Carlton for the next week. Any more questions?"

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" Dinah couldn't help but ask.

Oliver flashed his ten million dollar smile at her. "It shows that much, huh?"

"How did you know Davis and I would even consider this?" Chloe wondered. "I mean, what if I had flat-out said no? Then you would've done all of this for nothing."

"Please," he scoffed. "If you two were willing to skip town on a moment's notice and never look back, I knew you would agree to this."

"Can't argue with him there," Lois whispered to Clark.

"I can't believe I'm walking into Oliver Queen's latest scheme willingly, but okay. Let's go."

"You'll go?"

"Yeah, let's get this party started."

Smiling, Davis grabbed her hand, helped her up off the couch, and pulled her into his embrace. The split-second decision to go get married in the U.S. Virgin Islands finally hit Chloe when she hugged Davis back, tears beginning to well up in her eyes again.

"We're really gonna do this?" he asked her as soon as they parted several seconds later. "I mean, is this what you really what you want? Because if it's not—"

"Davis, I wanted to marry you the second you proposed to me. The location doesn't matter."

"Chloe..." he breathed out softly, pressing his forehead against hers. "I love you so much."

_He loved her more than words could say._

"I love you too," she smiled sweetly, then pulled away to shout to her friends and family, "So let's go get married!"

"All right!" Oliver clapped his hands together. "The limo is waiting for us outside."

Lurking in the shadows inside Clark's barn, a mysterious figure silently watched the group of friends all gather into Oliver's black limousine that was parked in the dirt driveway. The shrouded figure smiled confidently when they saw Ollie and Dinah in plain view, who were the last two in the car because he stole a quick kiss from her just before she could get in. Once they were inside, Clark shut the door and the limo driver drove off the farm.

"Enjoy your fun in the sun, Arrow and Canary...while you still can."

* * *

**A/N:** Well, if you didn't already see this coming — *_jumps up and down excitedly_* Chloe and Davis are getting married in the next chapter! Chloe and Davis are getting married in the next chapter! Need I say more? LOL!

_**Please review!**_


	15. 9x10: Happiness

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything.

**A/N: **It's here, Chlavisers! The chapter where Chloe and Davis finally get married is here! :D For awhile there I was beginning to think this episode would never come, but it's finally here and I hope all of you are as excited to read as I am to write it. Happy reading!

_I dedicate this chapter to __**l'amour-the-poet**__, __**Lost in Day Dreams **__and__** Pace1818 **__for their amazing support and encouragement throughout my story. I couldn't have gotten this far without you guys!  


* * *

_

**Chapter Fifteen: **Happiness

_It seemed like it was only yesterday..._

Chloe stared at herself in the mirror while she held her wedding bouquet of white roses in her private dressing room. A small smile graced her lips when she thought of the last time she stared at herself in a wedding dress. It had only been a little over a year since her wedding to Jimmy, yet on some level it also felt like it had been a lifetime ago. An entirely different lifetime, because it wasn't her. She was a completely different person now from the last time she got married. Her feelings for Jimmy were still real and she did still love him, but only as a good friend now. Every time she thought of Jimmy that day, her worries and fears of Davis showing up to crash the wedding and confess his undying love to her while she was supposed to be celebrating her love for Jimmy, came flooding back to her. She was in denial and he knew it. Davis knew, even then, that they were meant to be together, but she refused to believe him out of loyalty to Jimmy.

_Jimmy_.

Chloe knew she would always reserve a special place in her heart for him. How could she not when he was her first boyfriend and husband? They worked at the _Daily Planet_ together and rebuilt their relationship from their old high school days. It was fun and easy in the beginning. It was nice to be with someone who actually noticed her – unlike Clark. But...somewhere deep inside...Chloe had to admit, especially after Davis entered her life, that Jimmy wasn't the right one for her, which was probably why she allowed herself to betray Jimmy in a moment of weakness when she kissed Davis a week before their wedding.

From the get-go Davis understood her curiosity for the strange and bizarre. In the beginning, their relationship was also easy, yet exciting and mysteriously dark all at the same time. When they teamed up to try and help Bette after they first met, he was a perfect gentleman towards her, with a suave darkness about him brewing just underneath the surface. When Davis learned about her Brainiac intelligence, he – unlike Clark – was all right with it because, as he put it, "everyone has a dark side." She chose to believe in Davis, even when he couldn't believe himself, over the Metropolis killings, which made their friendship – and his feelings for her – grow stronger. But after he admitted his true feelings that fateful week before her wedding to Jimmy, telling her that he thought she was marrying the wrong guy, their relationship took a sour turn. It wasn't she didn't want Davis out of her life after listening to his heartfelt confession, which he seemed to understand by claiming to be "moving on" when they bumped into each other at Met Gen while Jimmy was being transferred there from Star City six weeks later. Then when she unknowingly saved him from releasing his inner demon after Jimmy cuffed him to a chain-link fence in an alley to prove to her Davis was a murderer – for the first time taking Davis' side over Jimmy's, thereby costing her their marriage – their friendship began to grow again and she relied his strong support while dealing with the breakup. However, things quickly went from good to bad with Davis yet again after she and Clark discovered he was Doomsday, the Ultimate Destroyer sent to Earth with one mission from his Kryptonian scientist parents, Faora and General Zod – kill Clark.

_And that changed everything._

_At least, she thought it would._

Once Chloe knew who Davis really was – a serial-killing alien monster in its camouflaged human form – it did change her feelings for him...in some ways. It became more important to save Clark, rather than Davis, even though she led him to believe otherwise. It wasn't that she didn't care about Davis or didn't want to him save from himself, because she did, but the moment she knew his true identity, she knew Clark had to come first for the sake of the entire world. So she kept Davis in her basement, locked him away from the world, in hopes that would be enough as long as she was close by. Pretty soon, though, that wasn't enough. Only a few weeks after harboring him in the Talon basement, Davis admitted the only way to keep the beast at bay from here on out was for her to stay with him at all times. As a last resort, she begged Emil to find a cure for Davis, but when he said there was none, except for the "hold" she seemed to have on him, Chloe knew she had no other choice but to run away from Smallville – run away from Clark – with him...and never look back.

Together, she and Davis went on the run, became fugitives, and kept Doomsday away...for the most part. Initially, the experience forced Chloe to take another look at Davis, see the murderer side of him up close and personal whenever someone tried to put her in harm's way. However, the more time she spent with him while they were alone, the more she saw a whole new side of him. A side of him that wanted to settle down and build a life with her...buy a home and start a family together. Chloe could hardly believe Davis wanted such things...to become a loving husband and good father, work a 9 to 5 job in order to bring home the bacon every week, build a large swing set for their 2.4 kids in the backyard. Yet here they were...on the brink of getting married with their first child on the way.

_It was perfect._

_It was everything Chloe always wanted._

Cutting her off from her thought, the blonde heard the door behind her open, then turned around and found Lois standing in the doorway with a smile on her face. The ace reporter was stunned speechless as soon as she saw her little cousin in her beautiful beach wedding dress. Lois herself was wearing a shiny, light emerald green silk dress, with three-inch straps that hugged her shoulders nicely. The length of the dress went down to her ankles, and the color brought out her eyes, but then again, green always did look good on Lois. She wore matching green, three-inch heels and an emerald green bracelet that was her mother's. Chloe thought she looked absolutely beautiful.

"I told myself I wasn't going to cry..." Lois started, holding back the tears, "...but how can I not when you've never looked more beautiful, Chlo?"

Chloe beamed and turned around so they could both stare at her in the mirror. She was wearing a floor-length white, beach wedding dress, a white chiffon veil with matching chiffon shoulder straps on the dress, and three-inch white satin sandals. The bodice had small white beads to form a fancy, vertical diamond shape for a touch of elegance, and she was wearing a pair of diamond earrings that belonged to Clark's mom for her "something borrowed." Her makeup was soft and light, her hair was in curls, and she had a French pedicure done on her toenails this morning.

"You really do, coz. You look like an angel in that dress."

"You can thank Ollie for that, because otherwise I would have had to rob a bank in order to afford it."

"Do you have everything you need for the ceremony?"

"Almost."

"What are you missing?"

"Well, the earrings Clark gave me are my something borrowed. My garter has blue. My mom's wedding ring is my something old—"

"And here's your something new."

Clark walked into the room in his black tux and blue tie, carefully holding a silver leaf necklace between his fingers. It sparkled in the light and seemed to be perfect touch to finish Chloe's wedding ensemble.

The blonde couldn't help but smile happily when she saw her best friend. "Clark Kent saves the day, just like he always does."

Clark smiled back in return, then walked towards the two ladies so he could put the necklace around Chloe's neck. After he finished with the clasp, she let her hair back down and turned around so they could look at her with the necklace on.

"How does it look?"

"Perfect."

"You look stunning, Chloe," Clark admitted with full sincerity. He leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Afterwards, Lois quickly realized by the look in their eyes that the two best friends wanted a moment alone before the ceremony began.

"I can see my work here is done... for now," the brunette remarked. "Don't make her cry before the wedding starts, Smallville, or I'll have no choice but to break your arm."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Lois, believe me."

Lois left the room, throwing Clark a sharp smile before she shut the door and then the two childhood friends were finally alone.

"What's going on with you two lately?" Chloe could resist in asking.

"Nothing," he replied a little too fast.

"Okay, Clark, if you're going to be a reporter while you continue trying your hand at this whole dual identity complex, you're going to have to get better at lying."

He threw a look at her before saying, "We've gone out on a few coffee dates, that's all. It's nothing serious."

"Not yet."

"I thought we were supposed to be focusing on you and Davis today."

"You're right. We can always talk about 'The Many Adventures of Lois & Clark' some other time."

"So can you believe this is really happening?"

"What, the fact that marrying your former nemesis-turned-adoptive brother?" she giggled. "Don't worry, Clark, I've been prepared for this moment for a long time."

"You really love him, don't you?"

"You mean in spite of his combined David-Goliath persona before he was exposed to the Black K? Yeah, I do."

"You know he loves you more than anything, right? You were the one thing that kept him going after he found out Doomsday couldn't be killed by the meteor rocks."

"Funny how it was that aspect in our relationship that always seemed to parallel us to the Beauty and the Beast romance, huh?"

He laughed, "Yeah."

A moment of silence went by between the two friends, until Chloe could finally speak her thoughts over something she really needed to get off her chest before marrying Davis.

"I know now probably isn't the best time to admit this, but ever since we were kids, Clark, I always thought you would be the one waiting for me as I walk down the aisle."

"I know," he admitted earnestly. "I'm sorry I never felt the same way about you."

"Especially with Lana always standing right next to me."

"Chloe, it wasn't that I didn't have _any_ romantic feelings for you. I mean, if I was to be completely honest with myself, I'd have to admit somewhere along the way in our friendship, there were a few times when I would have chosen you over Lana."

"And I blew all of those shots with you because I knew I wasn't the one in your heart. She was."

Clark remained quiet for a few moments, taking in her words and trying to find the right words to say back so she would know how he truly felt.

"We'll always be more than just friends, Chloe."

"I love you too, Clark," she whispered softly, then reached up on her tippy toes and kissed his cheek before they wrapped their arms around each other in tight hug. "I always have and I always will."

"I love you."

"But only as a friend now, okay?" she laughed after they pulled away from one another and wiped a single tear away.

"Of course."

The door entering into Chloe's bridal dressing room opened again and her father, Gabe, appeared in the doorway this time.

"Oh, my God..." he breathed out, almost speechless when he saw his daughter in her wedding gown. "Honey, you look so beautiful."

"Thanks, Dad," she smiled.

Gabe walked towards her and cupped her cheeks gently once he was in arm's length of her. "I can't believe my little girl is getting married."

"For the second time."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to give you away at your last wedding, honey," he spoke apologetically, placing his hands down at his sides again. "That probably jinxed the whole thing, huh?"

Chloe quickly thought back to when Doomsday held her face in one of his monstrous hands after just ripping Jimmy's chest open. "Yeah, that was it."

"But he's here now," Clark cut in, "and that's what matters."

"Absolutely," Gabe nodded.

Lois poked her head through the door and said, "I hate to interrupt this touching family moment, folks, but the wedding's supposed to start in less than an hour."

"We'll be out in one minute, Lo," Chloe informed her.

"By the way, Uncle Gabe, you put James Bond to shame in that tux."

"Thank you, Lois," he said smiling, "but if you think buttering me up will get you off the hook with your father, you're wrong."

"One time! I don't go and visit the General while he's temporarily stationed in Coast City because I've got a deadline to finish _one time_, and the next thing you know we're Hitler and Stalin."

"Then that must make you Stalin, right?" Clark joked.

Lois merely rolled her eyes at him and shut the door, which caused Chloe, Clark and Gabe to laugh after she left.

"Is that girl ever going to learn?" Gabe wondered.

"Dad, it's Lois. She drop kicked her date at the prom when he started getting happy hands on the dance floor right before all six guys on her military detail had to forcibly remove Lois out of the building so she wouldn't beat the guy into a bloody pulp."

"Then God help the poor soul who ends up marrying my niece."

* * *

At sunset, Chloe and Davis' beautiful beach wedding began. Davis, Clark, Oliver and Jimmy were dressed in traditional black and white tuxes, however, each of them was wearing a different tie. Davis wore a black one, while Clark wore blue, Oliver wore green, and Jimmy wore red. Lois, Kara and Dinah all wore the same dress, except each of them wore in a different color. Lois' was, of course, in emerald green, while Kara's was in light blue and Dinah's was in soft yellow with a large black stripe across the bodice. Davis happily watched Chloe down the aisle with her father. Gabe gave her a kiss on the cheek and shook Davis' hand before standing beside Clark as the Justice of the Peace, who happened to be an old friend of Oliver's family, officially began the ceremony.

"...So before I unite Chloe and Davis in holy matrimony, they have both chosen to express their love for each other in a few words."

"Ever since I was a little kid," Davis began, "nothing about the world made much sense to me. I grew up in a world where you couldn't trust anyone because everyone always lied for their own personal gain. I didn't know what warmth, and kindness, and friendship was...until I met you, Chloe. I didn't know what it meant to be in love or to have someone love you in return, but I do now and it's all because of you. And when I'm with you, everything about my life makes sense. I feel whole inside... I feel complete. I love you, Chloe, and I promise in front of God, family, and friends that I will continue loving you for the rest of my life."

"I know I made a lot of mistakes in our relationship in the past," she spoke calmly, "and I know I didn't always take your side because I wanted to protect other people who were also important in my life, but you never stopped loving me, and I love you for that. I mean, when everything around us turned into chaos and it didn't seem like the world could get any darker, the one thing that kept me going was knowing you love me. Ever since my mom left me when I was a little girl, I've tried to convinced myself not to let people to get too close because I thought they would all eventually leave me too. But then you came along..." she said in just above a whisper with tears in her eyes, "...and falling in love with you was so _easy_...and so hard at the same time, because I didn't want to believe the very person I was meant to be with was you when I was already with someone else. I didn't want to believe someone I had just met could understand me so well...but you did. You understood me from the beginning, Davis, and I will always love you for that."

"I love you," he whispered back tenderly.

After a moment of silence, the Justice of the Peace asked for the rings.

Clark got the rings from out of his breast pocket and handed them to the Justice of the Peace, then he handed Chloe's ring to Davis.

"Davis, repeat after me as you slip this ring on Chloe's finger, symbolizing your holy union to one another: I, Davis Bloome, take you, Chloe Sullivan, to be my lawfully wedded wife."

"I, Davis Bloome, take you, Chloe Sullivan, to be my lawfully wedded wife."

"To have and to hold from this day forward..."

"To have and to hold from this day forward..."

"...for better, for worse..."

"...for better, for worse..."

"...for richer, for poorer..."

"...for richer, for poorer..."

"...in sickness and in health..."

"...in sickness and in health..."

"...to love and to cherish..."

"...to love and to cherish..."

"...from this day forward 'til death do us part."

"...from this day forward 'til death do us part."

Then the Justice of the Peace handed Davis' silver wedding band to her and said, "Chloe, repeat after me as you slip this ring on Davis' finger, symbolizing your holy union to one another: I, Chloe Sullivan, take you, Davis Bloome, to be my lawfully wedded husband."

"I, Chloe Sullivan, take you, Davis Bloome, to be my lawfully wedded husband."

"To have and to hold from this day forward..."

"To have and to hold from this day forward..."

"...for better, for worse..."

"...for better, for worse..."

"...for richer, for poorer..."

"...for richer, for poorer..."

"...in sickness and in health..."

"...in sickness and in health..."

"...to love and to cherish..."

"...to love and to cherish..."

"...from this day forward until death do us part."

"...from this day forward until death do us part."

"Then by the powers vested in me by this state, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Davis, you may kiss your bride."

Chloe and Davis smiled at each other just before he brought her into his arms. She cupped his cheek gently and they kissed softly for the first time as a married couple. Clark, Lois, and everyone else clapped excitedly to show their congratulations. After Chloe and Davis parted with bright smiles on their faces, they hugged or shook hands with all of their loved ones. Oliver shook the Justice of the Peace's hand, thanking him for coming by on such short notice. The happy celebration took a sudden halt, however, when the bride suddenly gasped out in surprise, pressing her right hand against her stomach.

"Chloe, what's wrong?" Clark asked worriedly. "Are you having morning sickness again? Do you need to see a doctor?"

"No, no, it's just..." she briefly paused to grin at her friends and family, "I think I just felt the baby kicking for the first time."

With shrieks of happiness, everyone rushed straight towards Chloe in a stampede and began putting their hands on her stomach to also feel the baby move.

"What does it feel like?" Kara wondered with fascination.

"Like I have butterflies in my stomach."

"Hey, just think of it this way," Oliver cut in. "You're married now, so all you have to do is wait for five more months, then push an 8-pound baby out at the hospital, and hope your hubby is there to see it happen."

"Yes, Ollie, the hard part is _truly_ over," Dinah said with sarcasm.

"You just wait until I show you what I've got planned for _our_ vacation on this romantic beach getaway," he playfully whispered into her ear.

"Oh, yeah?" she pressed into him, her hands lightly brushing against his chest.

"Yeah."

"Well, I'm sure I'm going to love it," Dinah smiled before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him sweetly.

"You know, if I wanted to see a makeout session, I would go watch a Lifetime movie," Lois interrupted the two lovebirds, who parted ways just after she started speaking. "But last time I checked, we still have reservations at the hotel for Chloe and Davis' wedding reception to get to. So let's make like a tree and leave—and leave the behind-the-bleachers, post-football game makeout sessions for after the party, okay?"

"Anything else, Coach Lane?" the billionaire boy wondered.

"No, I think I've said my peace."

Chloe, Davis, and the gang started walking towards Oliver's white limo, with the exception of Ollie and Dinah, who chose to stay behind for a minute longer.

"Must be hard to believe you used to date her, huh?"

"She's actually a lot like you."

"Oh, I see. You're only interested in women who fall for the green leather."

"Is that a crime?" he grinned.

"Yeah, I know your game now, pretty boy," she smiled, walking away from him.

"You haven't seen nothing yet, pretty bird," Ollie said, pulling her back into his arm and kissing her passionately.

Behind a pair of palm trees, the mysterious figure cloaked in black attire watched the superhero couple from afar and once again smiled at the pair confidently. "Neither have you, Green Arrow. Neither have you."

* * *

_**Hours later...**_

Red and white rose petals were scattered all around the room in Chloe and Davis' honeymoon. Their complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries were untouched. Except for the two dozen candles lit near their king size bed, the room was filled with darkness. Their clothing littered the carpet floor from the door to the foot of the bed. The newlyweds were making sweet love slowly tonight, enjoying their time alone, enjoying their escape from the rest of the world, including their friends and family. All was perfect. They were underneath the silk white sheets and fluffy comforter, with Davis on top of Chloe, holding her in his strong arms.

"I love you, Chloe," he whispered with a smile. "I love you so much."

"That's a good thing," she grinned at him, "because I love you too."

After letting out a light chuckle, Davis ran his fingertips along the side of her face, then brought his lips to hers once more and they continued making love for the rest of the night.

* * *

**A/N: ***_sigh_* Chloe and Davis are married now. What could be better than that? *_sigh_*

_**Please review!**_


	16. 9x11 Part I: Stalker

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own anything.

**A/N:** Thank you _so _much to everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. I know many of you had been waiting for Chlavis to get married and I was so pleased to see you all enjoyed the ceremony. This chapter, however, is going to focus on Dollie and a few DCU characters I'm introducing into the story that haven't even been introduced on the show yet, with my own little twists. ;) I hope you enjoy it. Happy reading!

_I dedicate this chapter to __**Alaina Huffman**__ (Dinah) for her amazing portrayal of Black Canary on the show and for being a Dollie supporter! I recently found out she's a Green Arrow/Black Canary shipper from her "Salvation" interview back in May._

"_I love playing strong and powerful women. I also would love to act in a period piece and wear these amazing costumes. This is why I like playing the Black Canary in Smallville, she wears a costume. When I put on a costume, I immediately transform to that character." – __**Alaina Huffman – **__11/03/2008_

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Sixteen:** Stalker

Chloe and Davis were enjoying a nice, quiet morning out on the terrace of their honeymoon suite one morning. Eating their breakfast, which included fresh pineapple and blueberry pancakes, the newlyweds enjoyed watching the small waves come to shore on the beach. The sky was clear blue and the salty, sea air felt cool against their skin, but the sun were warm...the perfect combination.

"It's so beautiful here, isn't it?" Chloe sighed. "So peaceful... It almost makes me forget about home."

"I didn't know you thought Smallville was so corrupt," Davis joked.

"Says the Cornfield Killer who buried fifty bodies in the same field where Clark's spaceship landed," she smirked. He said nothing this time, only smiled at her quip before she continued. "You know, as hard as it may be to believe, you haven't won the Olympic gold medal for Most Heinous Crimes Committed in the land of the weird, home of the strange, Davis."

"Do you ever think about leaving Smallville one day?" he wondered, changing the subject slightly. "I mean, do you ever think about starting a new life someplace else and wiping the slate clean like we originally planned to do after we left last year?"

"All the time," the blonde admitted honestly. "Why, don't you?"

"Yeah, but Smallville isn't my hometown. I'm not as tied down to the cows and the cornfields as you are. I never really had a place I called home. So I... I guess I just wanted to know that if—"

"Davis," she stopped him at mid-sentence, taking ahold of his hand. "My home is with you and the baby. I don't care where we live as long as we're together."

Happy to hear her say that, he kissed the top of her hand and whispered, "I love you, Chloe."

"I know," she smiled at him warmly. "I love you too."

* * *

"So how are things going between you and Jimmy lately?" Lois asked Kara while they sunbathed on the beach.

Lois was wearing a red bikini and Kara was wearing a light blue one, with sunglasses on their faces and a large, orange tote bag filled with a bottle of sunscreen, four water bottles, snacks, and extra beach towels.

"Good," the blonde smiled at her friend. "Things seem to be moving right along with you and Clark too, huh?"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, don't try and deny it, Lois. I saw the way you and Clark were looking at each other while you dancing together at Chloe and Davis' wedding reception. It's obvious you two are totally gaga about one another."

"Don't make it sound like we're star-crossed lovers, Juliet. We're not even that serious about each other."

"Yet."

Lois shook her head with disbelief. She went back to lying down on her yellow beach towel, however, her peace and quiet was abruptly disturbed when Jimmy threw a blue bucket filled with sand on the girls. They screamed out in surprise and then got up, throwing angry facial expressions at the ex-_Daily Planet_ photographer after they ripped their sunglasses off.

"You are dead meat, Olsen!" Lois yelled out.

Both girls went straight for Jimmy, who was laughing at them, until Clark quietly came up from behind and threw a red bucket filled with ice water on the pair. Lois and Kara yelped out again, quickly turning around to see the farm boy grinning at them.

"You two are _so _dead!" Kara shouted at the guys, throwing daggers at Clark with her eyes.

Without another word, she and Lois started chasing their boyfriends around the beach, playfully screaming, laughing, and giggling for the rest of the morning.

**

* * *

**

Dinah was lying on top of a blue beach towel underneath the shade of two palm trees and Ollie was top of her, as they were making out in their black and green swim wear. The water was in the mid-seventies, perfect for swimming, and the area they were in was vacant, so the couple was alone and happily enjoying their alone time together.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look today?" Oliver asked, after breaking their latest kiss, running his fingers through her shoulder length blonde hair.

"Not in the last two hours," she replied with a smile.

"I guess I was too preoccupied _showing_ you how beautiful I think you are."

"Then I guess I can forgive you for the slip-up," she joked, her right hand cupped his cheek. "Just this once."

"Duly noted," he grinned, leaning back down to kiss her again.

Their makeout session only lasted a few seconds, though, when they suddenly heard someone walking through the sand towards them – a tall woman in her late twenties with long, straight black hair and a nice tan. She was wearing a violet purple tube top, denim capri pants, black rubber sandals, and black sunglasses on top of her head.

"Sorry to crash your Baywatch fantasy," the woman smirked once she stood above the couple, "but I think the three of us need to talk."

"The three of us need to talk?" Ollie repeated, getting up from the sand just before he helped Dinah up. "We don't even know who you are, sweetheart. So why don't start the conversation over by telling us—"

"Don't get your panties in a knot, Oliver Queen. I know everything about you and your girlfriend, right down to your little superhero league code names, Green Arrow and Black Canary."

Ollie and Dinah looked at her suspiciously, then looked at each other before looking back at her again.

"Have you been stalking us?" Dinah questioned the woman.

"Please," she scoffed at her. "I wouldn't waste my time watching you two make out for hours on end. I actually have a life."

"Then how do you know who we are if we don't know you?" Ollie wondered, still eying her suspiciously.

"Everyone knows about the billionaire boy wonder from Star City."

"How do you know about Dinah?"

"Let's just say I did my homework on you two before I started getting heavily involved in a case that I believe you both would be interested in."

"What kind of case, Nancy Drew?"

"One that involves an old friend of Dinah's."

"What old friend?" the blonde inquired.

"Tell us who are you first," Ollie demanded, "and then we'll decide whether or not we should believe a word you say."

"Fine," she agreed in an ignorant tone of voice. "My name is Helena Bertinelli and I'm a student from Gotham University. A couple of months ago I was walking to my car on campus when I saw a redheaded woman in a tacky green leather costume, stiletto heels and a heart with an arrow through it carved on her chest attack a popular classmate of mine on the school's wrestling team for the location of his personal trainer. I was able to rescue the guy just before she beat the living daylights out of him, but unfortunately this Mortal Kombat Jade wannabe got away in the process."

"And you think this mysterious woman kidnapped his trainer?"

"Wasn't hard to figure out after one of the employers he works for at a local gym in Gotham reported to the police that he hadn't shown up or called in to excuse his absences for over a week."

"What's the trainer's name?"

"I think it'd be better if you heard who it was first, since you obviously don't trust me yet."

Helena threw a TinyTech tape recorder to Dinah, which was only the size of a store-bought lighter. She turned it on and pressed the 'Play' button to begin listening. The recording was mostly static until she suddenly heard a middle-aged man's voice.

"I don't know what you – _**static**_ – You gotta – _**static**_ – Don't do this!" Then everything turned to static once more, but Dinah instantly knew who the man speaking in the recording was.

Her hazel eyes turned dark, as she stared at Helena suspiciously again. "_Where is he_?"

* * *

In no time at all Oliver, Dinah and Helena were on one of Queen Industry's private jets headed for Star City. Ollie decided not to tell Clark and the rest of their teammates that he and Dinah were going on a mission after she convinced him not to because "it was personal." When he questioned why and how she knew the man in the tape recording, Dinah told him to trust her and promised to tell him everything as soon as she knew her friend was safe. However, this "old friend" of Dinah's quickly made Ollie spike with jealousy, especially since he had never seen his pretty bird so determined to save someone this badly before. What if he was an old boyfriend? A guy she once loved but never really got over? In any case, Ollie stubbornly agreed to his girlfriend's request and stopped asking questions — at least to her.

The jet landed on the helicopter pad on top of Oliver's family manor. Once all of three of them were inside, Oliver and Dinah quickly changed into the suits, yet were forced to wait on Helena, who refused to tell them exactly where she found their villainess hiding in Star City until _she_ was ready to leave. After ten minutes of waiting together in Ollie's library, the superhero couple turned around to find Helena now dressed in a bathing suit-style, violet purple leather suit with a black leather cape, a purple mask in the shape of pointy bat ears, thigh high violet leather boots, a black utility belt with several different gadgets attached to it, and a purple crossbow in her right hand.

"Guess we're not the only ones hiding a secret identity from the rest of the world," Dinah noted as soon as she saw Helena step into the light of the library.

"Got a name to go with all of those fancy gadgets you got there?" Ollie wondered.

"Just call me Huntress," she smiled with confidence.

"Let's get down to business now," Dinah insisted, not wanting to waste any time on locating the man she considered to be like a second father to her and her former mentor. "Tell me where that psychopath is holding Ted."

"The Grell Museum."

"How did you find out she took him there?"

"I was on patrol one night in Gotham when I came across a group of mobsters that I've been trying to throw in jail for the past few months. They drove to Star City in an unmarked truck loaded with bulletproof glass, so I decided to follow them here and discovered that their new boss is an expert martial artist named Cupid."

"The same green leather-clad femme fatale we're looking for?"

"She's harboring your friend down in the basement, but my guess is the whole thing is a setup and our MK Jade is just using him as the bait."

"Why do you say that?" asked Oliver.

"Right after she got away from me at Gotham University, I noticed that she accidentally dropped something, which led me straight to you and the rest of your so-called wise-cracking cohorts."

Helena took something out from the front pouch on her belt and handed the small item to Oliver. It was one of his Kryptonite darts that he made "special" for Clark in order to prevent him from stopping his plan to kill Davis last year.

"This Cupid woman is obsessed with you, Oliver, and by the amount of dirt I've managed to dig up on her from the archives at the _Gotham Gazette_, I can prove she's been stalking you for quite sometime now. She's collected arrows you've used to stop criminals from here to Metropolis for God knows how long. She's even taken it upon herself to kill all of the criminals you weren't able to bring to justice while you were still living in Star City. The police have been trying to capture Cupid for her vigilante acts for over a year, but she always manages to slip away at the last second."

"So she's using Ted to get us?" Dinah spoke out, fully enraged by her mentor's abductor.

"Think about it from her psychotic perspective, blonde birdie. She's obsessed with your boyfriend, right? She wants you out of the picture. So what does she do? She comes up with a plan to get you both out of hiding by kidnapping someone you obviously care about, hopes you'll take the bait and fall into her trap. I just happened to get to you both first."

"If that night-late, leather-clad seductress so much as lays a finger on Ted, I swear I'll—"

"Why go to all the trouble and track us down before Stalker Sally could play hook, line and sinker?" Ollie interrupted his girlfriend, not wanting to hear how protective Dinah was over this Ted guy again, as it was making Oliver more jealous of him by the minute. "What do you have to gain from any of this?"

Huntress said nothing for a moment, unsure if she should lay her cards on the table to two people who barely knew her, until she finally decided it was only fair that she level with them. "After I witnessed my entire family being murdered by a mafia family when I was eight years old, I've been a loner ever since. I usually don't go this far to enlist help, especially when it comes to this superhero business, but when I started hearing rumors that Cupid might know where the man who killed my parents is hiding, that changed everything."

Oliver was immediately unsettled by her quest for revenge, personally knowing the dark path it sets people on. "Helena, I understand where you're coming from, really. I've been in your shoes and I know what's like to want to go after the people who have harmed the ones you love. But going after the man who murdered your parents isn't the right answer. That usually just leads to more pain."

"I will stop at _nothing_ until Mandragora is six feet under, so spare me the $50 lecture, Dr. Phil. I'm going to that museum tonight with or without you."

"So am I," Dinah spoke firmly with fire in her eyes.

Ollie sighed, knowing he wasn't going to convince this duo to back down from their missions. "This is a _bad_ idea."

* * *

Green Arrow, Black Canary and Huntress snuck into the Grell Museum without setting off any alarms thanks to Dinah's computer hacking skills, who was able to bypass the building's strict security system in a matter of moments.

"Very impressive, Aeon Flux," Ollie grinned at his girlfriend.

"Chloe's not the only who knows how to disarm firewalls," she winked back.

They silently entered the museum, which was, of course, quiet as a mouse. Helena found the door leading to the basement, only to be passed up by Black Canary. Oliver called out to her, but Dinah ignored him; she refused to do anything except find Wildcat. She opened the door and ran down a long metal staircase, seeing a tall, buff man with brown hair and a few grays, dressed in dirty jeans and a slightly torn up navy blue t-shirt, locked away in a fluorescent-lighted, bulletproof glass cage in the middle of the room.

"Ted!" the superheroine cried out as she ran towards him.

"Dinah?" her mentor asked, who could hardly believe his former student was here.

"I'm going to get you out," she promised, her hands pressed against the bulletproof glass. By this time Green Arrow and Huntress were down in the basement with them. "Stand back and cover your ears."

Oliver, Ted and Helena did as they were instructed by standing back and covering their ears with their hands. Dinah took a deep breath, then used her Canary Cry, which instantly shattered the glass box, freeing Wildcat from his private cell.

"Ted," the blonde smiled in relief when she saw that he was alright. She ran straight to her mentor's exceptionally muscular arms to embrace him in a tight hug and kissed him on the cheek, not pleasing Oliver in the least bit. "God, I've been so worried about you."

"How did you know I was being held here, baby?"

"You can thank me for that," Huntress answered his question.

"It's a long story," Dinah added, "but it doesn't matter right now. Let's just get you out of here, okay?"

"He's not going anywhere," a woman said from behind them as they heard the basement door slam shut. The four superheroes turned around and saw Cupid walking down the stairs in front of a dozen thugs armed with either guns or knives. "None of you are."

**To be continued...**

* * *

**A/N: **With some help from my very good friend KJ (**KJ-Vampires-RBBs**), I decided that if I could cast anyone I wanted for the roles of Huntress, Wildcat and Cupid, I would choose the following actors:

**Ashley Scott ~ Helena Bertinelli/Huntress **

**Chris Noth ~ Ted Grant/Wildcat**

**Alicia Witt ~ Carrie Hartnell/Cupid **

I realize Alicia Witt doesn't have green eyes like Cupid does in the comics, but Alaina Huffman wears hazel contact lenses in costume even though she actually has blue eyes like Black Canary does, so don't judge me too harshly. Lol!

_**Please review! – **_Thumbs up or down for my casting choices?


	17. 9x11 Part II: Allies

**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything.**

**A/N:** OMG! I am _so _sorry about the long wait, my friends. I never meant to stay away from my story for so long, but one thing after another kept coming up and that caused a lot of delay in my free writing time. However, other than my apology, there isn't much to say this time around. I'm obviously continuing my Dollie-centered arc with Huntress, Wildcat and Cupid, but I'm also throwing a little bit of Zess (Zod/Tess) into the mix since those two haven't had a scene together in forever. :) I would also like to thank everyone who reviewed the previous chapter. You guys are totally awesome!

Happy reading!

* * *

**Chapter Seventeen: **Allies

Slowing closing in on Green Arrow, Black Canary, Huntress and Wildcat in the Grell Museum's dimly lit basement, Cupid's twelve thugs were either carrying .44 magnum handguns or large hunting knives, prepared to attack the costumed superheroes once their boss gave the word.

"What is it with you and psychotic redheads, Ollie?" Dinah wondered.

"As much as I would love to dive into that subject," he replied sarcastically, "I don't think _now_ would be the best time to discuss it."

"Kill Grant and the annoying purple bat," the villainess demanded, "...but leave our Emerald Archer and his precious songbird for questioning."

With the gangsters charging straight towards them now, Green Arrow and the rest instinctively spread out to combat their armed assailants. Except for a couple of gunshots that went off and a few minor cuts on their hands and arms from the knives, the four heroes railroaded the poorly skilled gang bangers in only a few short moments, which left Cupid seemingly stunned and defenseless now.

The green leather-clad redhead made a sprint for the basement door, but just after she pushed it open, Huntress shot an arrow at her with her purple crossbow, slicing her upper arm. The injury forced Carrie to stop at the doorway, falling to her knees and crying out in pain.

"You're not going anywhere until you tell me where Mandragora is, Cupid."

* * *

"You know how important this mission is," Tess said hotly on her cell in the library, unaware of the fact that someone was behind her, listening to her private phone call. "I want that final artifact found now." She paused to listen to her caller, only to become even angrier after hearing his lame excuses. "I don't care! You will find the final piece, or you and the rest of your straitjacket friends will be deported right back to Belle Reve, where I will personally make sure you'll never see daylight ag—!"

The cell phone was suddenly ripped from Tess' hand and she heard it being crushed into tiny pieces from behind. She turned around to find Zod sparkling the broken pieces on the floor, not happy to see her.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded. "That was my team on the phone. I was trying to convince them that if they wanted to stay out of the nuthouse, they better work harder and find us the final artifact soon."

"For Kal-El, you mean," he corrected her in a calm fashion.

Pretending to be puzzled by his comment, she replied, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"I have never insulted your intelligence, my dear Tess, so please don't make me start now."

"Why would I help Clark find the artifacts, let alone tell him about them, when I've been working with you to find them all this time?"

"Secretly working against me is more like it."

"I brought you back from the dead, used all of my resources to track down the artifacts that will give us the location of Kandor, lied for you countless times so Clark couldn't find a link between us or the key we stole from him. And after everything I've done for you, this is the thanks I get?"

"The sappy martyr act may work on Kal-El, but I know your pathetic race better, and I especially know _you_ better. You have been manipulating me all along, using me to gain valuable information you needed to find the artifacts for yourself. And when the time was right, you were going to hand them over to Kal-El as a way to finally gain his trust and friendship."

Tess, who was no longer afraid to hide the truth from her business partner, looked him straight in the eye with unflinching courage in her green orbs. "You were never going to use your army to save Earth from annihilation, but take your son's place as its ultimate destroyer and Clark's greatest challenge to overcome."

Amused, Zod chuckled at her. "So you took it upon yourself to play undercover cop? Track my every move while pretending to be my ally all this time?"

"With the private investigators I've had on you 24/7, you couldn't even blink without my being notified about it," she smiled coyly at him before walking towards her mini bar to pour herself a small glass of champagne. After taking a sip of her drink, "But I have to admit this so-called 'professional' relationship you've developed with Chloe was one M14 I never expected come across in your minefield."

"I told you to _never_ interfere in my personal affairs again," he spoke out indignantly, grabbing ahold of her free arm, "and that includes Miss Sullivan."

"Guess again, Romeo," she taunted with a smirk. "Chloe no longer goes by that name."

"What do you mean?"

"Oliver Queen jetted her, your son, and all of their friends to St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands last week, where the happy couple got married on a cliff at sunset by a Justice of the Peace."

Taking the unexpected news in about as well as if he had just walked into a room full of green meteor rocks, Zod didn't—he couldn't—believe his ears. It couldn't be true.

_Chloe was married now._

"No..." he whispered to himself, as he released his hold on Tess and turned away from her. "No, that's impossible. The last time I spoke to Chloe, she told me she wasn't getting married for at least another six months."

"Pity how all that work you put into building a relationship with her... Davis still walked away with the grand prize."

Zod slowly turned back around to face her, his eyes were blood red, almost as if he was under the influence of Red Kryptonite, until they returned to their normal color a few seconds later.

"My son won't have her for long," he vowed in a dangerously low whisper. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

* * *

Huntress was the first one to reach Cupid, who was lying on the museum's mahogany brown tile flooring just outside the basement door, now standing above the redhead with her crossbow pointed at her face, staring at her intensely.

"I've spent months trying to track you, and now that I've finally found you, you won't get away this time," Helena promised the villainess. "Tell where which hole that snake Mandragora is hiding in, or those little candy hearts you call henchmen down there won't be the only ones who'll need to be sent to the hospital for a full body cast."

"Huntress, stop!" Dinah cried out from behind. "This isn't what your parents would have wanted."

"This doesn't concern you, Canary," she snapped her. "Besides, why do you even care what happens to her after all the horrible things Cupid has done since she started stalking your boyfriend?"

"Because, deep down, you know I'm right. You can't spend your whole life going after the people who killed your parents. Otherwise, your obsession will eat you up inside until you're left with nothing except for the pain."

"She's right, kid," Ted concurred with his former student. "You don't wanna do something you'll regret for the rest of your life."

"This witch still has to pay for all the damage she's caused," Huntress shot back, her crossbow mere inches from Cupid's neck. "Either way, I'm not letting you walk out that front door until I get the information I want. Now, tell me where that overgrown pumpkin is," she demanded in a forceful tone, "and maybe we can help you get parole after 30 or 40 years in prison."

"Wait!" Oliver shouted out from behind Ted and Dinah, with his brown eyes pinned on Carrie. "Don't do anything."

"Why not?" the raven-haired superheroine questioned him when he came up beside her.

"Because I know her."

* * *

"I knew it was only a matter of time before that armor of yours finally cracked," Tess smirked, who seemed to be unfazed—almost entertained—by his fury towards Chloe's marriage to Davis.

Not in the mood for her taunting games, Zod grabbed ahold of her chin with the vice grip from his superstrength in the blink of an eye and whispered to her, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't _kill_ you right now for betraying me?"

"You still need me," she answered firmly, not backing down. "Because without me, you don't have the resources you'll need to locate the final piece."

"I can turn your entire world upside down, inside out and find the final piece in no time," he countered hotly, pulling her face closer to his own. "All you're trying to do is stall the inevitable, Tess."

"Perhaps, but I recently uncovered some information about the artifacts that I bet you didn't even know, unless you've been lying to me as well."

"What kind of information?" he inquired, his interest picking up.

"Does the name Brainiac mean anything to you?"

"The Brain InterActive Construct was a highly sophisticated computer created by a Kryptonian scientist named Dax-Ur that I reprogrammed and put under my control. He served only to release me from that eternal hell Jor-El sent my spirit to, until Kal-El destroyed his humanoid form almost two years ago. Why do you ask?"

"Because it seems your robotic pet wasn't as loyal to you as you thought."

"Explain," he demanded coolly, releasing his hold on her chin.

"Jor-El may have been the master creator of those six artifacts, but I have definitive proof that he wasn't the one who hid them here on Earth."

Tess paused for a couple of seconds, although Zod didn't need to hear the cynical redhead say the words out loud to know the truth.

"It was Brainiac."

**A/N:** * **SPOILER ALERT! *** **Just like in the comics, it was important to me to finally note that it was Brainiac who miniaturized and stole Kandor, which Superman eventually finds and keeps in the Fortress of Solitude. I've been waiting for the right moment to reveal that information in my story, and I felt this chapter was the perfect time to do so. ^_^**

* * *

"You _know_ her?" Huntress stared at Green Arrow in utter disbelief.

"How?" Black Canary questioned him, who was just as shocked as Helena.

"I saved her four years ago here in Star City," Oliver briefly explained. He squatted down to her level, put his hood down, and removed his black sunglasses to look at her with his own eyes. "Have you been stalking me this whole time?"

"Yes," she admitted in a light whisper.

"Why?"

"I fell in love," Carrie started, wanting so badly to grab ahold of his left hand and press it against the nape of her neck. "I knew it was love at first sight. You were so brave, so heroic that night you came to my rescue, Green Arrow."

"I remember. Your husband was abusing you, wasn't he?"

"Yes," she lied through her teeth, as it was her who attacked and killed him for deserting her earlier on in their marriage. "I've never met anyone like you before. You are my soulmate and I'm yours—not this fishnet, leather-clad bimbo you've been tramping around with because it's more convenient for you than requesting your usual 2 pm booty call!"

"_Hey!_" Ollie yelled out, angered by her insult.

"You really are looking for a fight, aren't you, Miss Valentine's Day?" Dinah growled as she walked towards Cupid with a threatening glare.

However, Ted quickly pulled her back, easily holding his beautiful blonde student in one spot while she struggled to break free. "Take it easy, baby. She's not worth it anyway."

"You're not even original, you know that?" Huntress shook her head at Carrie with a smile, holding back the urge to laugh. "Kill his enemies, win his love?"

"No, everything I did, I did for you, Oliver," the redhead whispered with tears starting to stream down her pale face. "Don't you see? All those men I killed, I only killed them to prove my love for you is real."

"You're delusional," Ollie gaped at her in disgust. "You actually thought taking the law into your own hands and targeting small-time criminals across Star City will make me love you? You belong in jail, and that's exactly where you're headed to next."

"_I love you!_" she screamed out in rage, forcing him stand up and back a few feet away. "I have loved you since the moment we met! And I won't let anyone take you away from me this time!"

Then, like a ferocious lioness ready to pounce on her prey, Cupid made a dart for Black Canary and tackled her to the floor.

"_Dinah!_" Ollie cried out in concern.

Using both heels from her black leather boots, Black Canary kicked Carrie in the stomach, pushing the redhead off of her and onto the cold tile flooring. Cupid quickly got back on her feet, though, and went straight for Dinah again. She pulled a knife on her and slashed her left wrist, then used a roundhouse kick to hit the blonde in the side. Black Canary hit the floor hard, but she pulled herself together only a few seconds later and was ready to continue fighting.

Meanwhile, Ollie, who still stood off on the sidelines, could hardly stand watching his girlfriend fight this psychotic fiend off, especially when he could tell Cupid was just as well-trained in martial arts. He started walk towards the "ring" of their catfight, only to be stopped when he felt someone's hand on his shoulder. He looked to his left and saw that it was Ted holding him back.

"Cool your jets there, loverboy. You can't always be there to protect her. You gotta let Dinah handle a few fights on her own every and now too, you know."

"But this isn't just her—"

"Trust me on this, tough guy. Our girl can take care of herself out there... Just like her mother could."

With one swift front kick, Dinah knocked the sharp blade out of Carrie's hand, catching her off guard long enough to make a fist and punch her in the gut. She kneed her in the stomach and threw a sharp right hook at her jaw. However, Cupid caught her arm just after the punch and threw Black Canary into a large stone pillar 20 feet away. The redhead used a high kick to hit her in the chin, but Dinah grabbed her ankle just before they connected and slammed her onto the ground. Carrie got up in a flash and then used a low heel kick to knock Black Canary down. She tackled her again, struggling to grab Dinah's neck to choke her, when the blonde took a deep breathe and screamed as hard as she possibly could in Carrie's face with her Canary Cry. The scream forced Cupid to cover her ears and sent her flying halfway across the room. Her back hit the bulletproof glass casing to the Neanderthal exhibit, which finally knocked the villainess out cold and automatically triggered a dozen alarms off in the building, so the police would arrive to collect her soon. As Oliver, Ted and Helena made their way over to congratulate Dinah, she was beaming with pride for defeating the psychotic woman in a fair fight.

"No one messes with my friends and gets away with it."

* * *

Two days later, Ollie, Dinah, Helena and Ted were back in the Virgin Islands, taking a stroll along the the beach's shoreline at sunset.

"This place sure is a nice change of scene after our WWE SmackDown in Star City, huh?" Helena said half-jokingly once the four friends stopped talking about the days when Ted trained Dinah in martial arts.

"Didn't exactly turn out to be the romantic vacation I planned on taking," Oliver stated, wrapping an arm around Dinah's waist.

"I think it turned out better, actually," the blonde smiled, looking up at him. "After all, we got to visit one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and put a criminal behind bars."

"All in a day's work," Ted concurred, grinning at his student.

"So, what's next on your agendas?" Ollie wondered.

"We're heading back to Gotham," Helena replied, speaking for both herself and Wildcat. "After seeing what Cupid's obsession over you had done to her psychologically, it's made me realize that I need to start letting go of my anger for things that happened in the past and focus more on the future. I know where I belong, and I'm determined to keep the streets of Gotham safe as long as I'm there."

"I'm proud of you, kid," Ted patted her on the shoulder.

"I am too," Dinah agreed, then walked over to her and enveloped the young woman in a hug. "Thank you for everything, Helena. We couldn't have saved Ted without you."

"You're not going to start gettin' all sentimental on me now because we're saying goodbye, are you?" she laughed after the two superheroines let go of one another. "Besides, it's not like we'll never see each other again, right?"

"I don't know," Ted replied, looking skeptical at Oliver before extending his hand out for him to shake. "Think we can be partners in fighting crime, rich boy?"

Ollie smiled at his girlfriend's trainer and shook hands with him. "Welcome to the league."

* * *

**A/N: **If you couldn't already tell before, I would like to point out that "The Cat and the Canary," "Double Date" and "Grudge Match" from the _Justice League Unlimited_ animated series were my big inspirations for this particular arc in the story. :) Anyways, that's all for now, folks! Again, I am so sorry about the long wait, but I hope all of you will continue reading because the next chapter is mainly Chlavis-centered, as Oliver has one final gift to give the newlyweds once everyone returns home from their week-long vacation/honeymoon. ;)

_**Please review!**_


	18. 9x12: Free

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I still don't own anything.**

**A/N: **Sadly, since school starts again in a few weeks, this will probably be the last chapter I write for "New Beginnings" until my Christmas break begins in mid-December. I was determined to get the story finished by the end of this month, but work, family emergencies, and summer vacations all got in the way of completing my goal. On a happier note, though, I'm leaving all of you with a Chlavis-centered chapter that I'm sure will put smiles on your faces. :) Again, I am so sorry for the long delay that's about ensue on my story, but just know that I will be back in a few months to continue writing it. And thank you again for all of your wonderful support, my friends. I couldn't have gotten this far into the story without your amazing support. ^_^

Happy reading!

* * *

**Chapter Eighteen: **Free

Walking through the back door into the Kents' kitchen, Clark, Chloe, Davis and Kara came in dragging their roller suitcases behind them, which were packed full with new clothes and souvenirs that they bought from the island, and decided to set their bags off to the side in the living room for now, while Lois, Jimmy, Oliver and Dinah walked in luggage-free, as their bags were still in the limo.

"Anybody else feel like they're gonna need a 12-hour nap to get rid of their jet lag?" asked Lois.

"You could say that again," Jimmy yawned out, rubbing his eyes.

"You may want to stay awake long enough to read this headline first, though," a new voice in the house entered the conversation. Dr. Hamilton came walking through the hallway into the living room with a copy of today's _Daily Planet_.

"How did you get in here?" Kara wondered.

"It's nice to see everyone still has a key to this place," the farm boy sarcastically remarked, then threw a look at Oliver, since he knew Ollie was the one who supplied him with a key to get in his house.

"I don't mean to intrude, Clark," Emil apologized, "but I knew this news couldn't wait."

"Well, don't make us wait in suspense any longer," Lois interrupted. "What's the punch line, Dr. H?"

"Davis has been cleared of all murder charges."

"_What_?" everyone except for Oliver gasped out in unison.

Staring at Emil like they just saw a ghost, the good doctor simply smiled at the young adults and turned the newspaper around to show them the front page headline, which read:

**ALLEGED CORNFIELD KILLER FOUND INNOCENT; DEATHS CAUSED BY ALIEN MONSTER**

Chloe was the first one able to shrug off her state of shock long enough to reach out and grab the paper from Emil just before Clark, Davis, Kara, Lois, Jimmy, Dinah and Oliver all huddled beside her to silently read the article too. In short, it stated Davis was cleared of all murder charges because the forensic evidence that Emil himself had "collected" all pointed to "an alien monster that multiple eyewitnesses saw terrorizing the streets of Metropolis on May 14, 2009." The article also goes on to say that Doomsday is no longer a threat to citizens, thanks to heroic work of the city's personal superhero, the Red-Blue Blur.

"You definitely know how roll out the 'Welcome Home' mat," Jimmy commented once everyone was finished reading.

"I'm just the messenger, Mr. Olsen," Emil stated coolly. "If you want to know who really cleared Davis' name, you're going to have to ask Mr. Queen."

"You knew about this!" Lois and Dinah yelled out together on opposite sides of Oliver. Both women smacked the back side of his head and added, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Wha—How many Desperate Housewives do I have now?" the billionaire boy half-joked, covering the back of his head with his hands so his girlfriend and ex-girlfriend wouldn't hit him there again. "I thought the news of Davis' 'Get Out of Jail Free' card would be a nice homecoming surprise for the newlyweds—not an opportunity to abuse me for doing something nice."

"The girls have a point, Oliver," Clark concurred. "I think you owe us an explanation."

An incoming call from Lois' cell phone suddenly went off in her purse, so she pulled it out, and upon seeing that it was her editor, she left the room to the answer the call without dismissing herself from the group.

"I've been working with Emil and my best defense lawyers to get Davis cleared of all charges for weeks, okay?" Oliver started to explain once the intrepid reporter was outside. "We gathered eyewitnesses from the day Bridezilla spread havoc across Metropolis to help convince the D.A. that he was the real Cornfield Killer. I had Emil plant some fake evidence to prove the beast's fingerprints were all over the dead bodies that Davis killed and buried—"

"Which, thankfully, wasn't too hard to manage since I already had Doomsday's DNA," Emil interjected.

"Then about a week and a half ago, I got call from the _Daily Planet's_ editor-in-chief and he said the article was going to be hot off the press today."

"Let me see if I get this straight," Clark stepped in again. "You planned this whole beach wedding extravaganza and purposely sent us on vacation for a week just so we would come home to find out Davis is finally a free man?"

"Just think of it as a happy send-off into married life for Chloe and Davis," Ollie answered with a smile.

"So, it's true?" Kara inquired, wanting to make sure she wasn't just hearing things. "Davis is really cleared of all charges?"

"There's still a chance that Davis will have to go down to Metropolis PD and answer a few questions for the detectives, but other than that, he's free as a bird," Emil assured her. "However, to be on the safe side, I'll call ahead and make sure John Jones is one of the detectives questioning him."

As tears of joy started to spring from her green eyes, Chloe wrapped her arms around Davis' neck and pulled him into a tight embrace. After all the heartache and struggles they had gone through since they skipped town together, things were finally turning out the way she always hoped they would. They were married; their beautiful son or daughter was coming into the world in just a few short months; and now Davis was a free man. Her dream was almost complete, her heart was almost full. Nothing could make this day better.

Davis hugged Chloe back as soon as she came into his arms, but the thought that he could finally walk out Clark's front door without worrying about cops jumping out of the bushes and slapping handcuffs on his wrists still felt surreal to him.

_Was this real?_

While Clark, Jimmy, Kara and Emil all went over to the newlyweds to give their congratulations, Oliver and Dinah decided to stay off to the side until the others were finished.

"I'll probably deny ever saying this to the guys, but sometimes you can be very sweet," she smiled coyly at him, then wrapped her arms around his neck, their faces mere inches apart.

"You think so, huh?" he chuckled. "Well, if I am, it's only because I have you." Ollie closed the small space between them and kissed her glossy lips softly. "Just don't let anyone else know, all right? I wouldn't wanna ruin my reputation as the fearless, stubborn leader."

"Don't worry," she giggled, "your secret's safe with me."

"Good," he nodded, then leaned in and kissed her again.

Forgetting about everyone else in the room, Oliver kissed Dinah repeatedly, each kiss becoming more passionate than the last until Lois walked back into the house and said—

"Don't you two lovebirds _ever_ get tired of looking like a kiss scene from 'One Tree Hill'?"

"Uh...no," Ollie smiled, wrapping his arms around Dinah's waist, who snuggled into his warm embrace.

"I bet that's all they did while we were on vacation, too," Kara grinned at the pair.

Oliver was about to speak up and tell them different when he caught Dinah's facial expression, reminding him that now wasn't the time or place tell to the story of their mission in Star City, especially since Lois and Jimmy were still hanging around.

"Yeah, pretty much."

The group of friends all rolled their eyes and laughed at them.

* * *

Later that same evening, Davis was looking through the open window in Clark's loft, quietly staring up at the night sky while he tried to "connect the dots" within the stars to find the Greek gods he so admired, when the sound of footsteps behind him disrupted his stargazing.

"You look like you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders," he heard Chloe say, and turned around to see her climbing up the wooden stairs to the loft.

"Baby, what are you still doing up?" he asked her, meeting the blonde halfway once she reached the top of the stairs.

"I've been waiting for you," she replied softly. "I thought you would've come to bed by now."

"Sorry," he apologized. "I didn't realize I had been out here so long."

Davis gently pressed his right hand over her stomach, smiling when he felt the small bump that was just starting to show off her pregnancy. It wouldn't be long before Lois and Kara took her shopping for maternity clothes.

"Has she been keeping you awake?"

"No, you have," Chloe pressed on. "What's got you out here so late, Davis?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he answered with a question, placing his hand down by his side again. "After months of being cooped up in basements, barns, cheap motel rooms and rental cars, I can finally walk outside Clark's front door without worrying about a S.W.A.T. team sneaking up from behind me and taking me away from you. I'm free, Chloe, but it doesn't feel real."

"Davis..." the blonde sighed, yet could say no more.

"I don't deserve to be free. I've done so many horrible things – to you, to Clark, to Jimmy, to faceless criminals who belonged in jail, not killed. And I know the only reason why I was given my freedom back today is because Oliver was trying to win back your friendship for hating me all this time. But no amount of prayers I say in church or offerings of penance from a priest could undo the sins I've committed, Chloe. I don't deserve you or the life that I want to spend with you and our daughter."

"I killed someone," she blurted out before Davis could finish what he wanted to say.

"What?" he looked at her as if he heard her incorrectly.

"Yeah," Chloe continued, knowing her admission was coming out of left field, but hoping it would help him realize once and for all that she really did understand where his guilt was coming from. "About a month before my wedding to Jimmy, I met a guy who had the meteor ability to look into someone's past just by touching them. So when Clark came to Lois' aid while Sebastian was attacking her, I knew he must've learned about Clark's abilities and would exploit them to the world. I couldn't let that happen, so I went to visit him at the hospital, and with my Brainiac abilities, I basically short circuited all the wiring in his brain until he died from a massive stroke."

"You killed him to protect Clark," Davis breathed out in shock.

"And I'd do again in a heartbeat if I had to," she admitted without flinching. "The saddest part about all of it is, I tried to convince myself for months afterward that it was really Brainiac who killed Sebastian."

"But...deep down...you always knew it wasn't him. It was you coming to Clark's rescue, no matter what price you had to pay in order to save him."

"Even if it meant taking a life," Chloe whispered, her eyes averting his as she hung her head low in ignominy.

"Why didn't you tell me about this before? You know I would've understood. Hell, I probably would've understood better than anyone."

"Because I was ashamed that I was willing to go to such an extreme in order to protect Clark's secret," she said with tears welling up in her eyes. "I have been a part of his life for so long now I've come to believe that almost every decision I make, I ultimately make for Clark's sake because I know it's for the greater good. It's the one lesson I've learned from him after all the years we've been friends, and protecting him is the one promise I've always told myself I'd never break. I'd hammer the last nail to my coffin before I ever betray Clark."

"You really would do anything for him."

"Which is why on some level I always understood your reasons for taking those criminals' lives. As long as Doomsday lived inside you, you were going to continue your vigilante rampage because it was the only way you knew how to protect me and everyone else you care about."

"I would do anything to protect you, Chloe," his eyes were so full of love and trust, it made her heart melt.

"And I love you for that," she replied softly, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I always will."

"I don't think I've ever loved you as much as I love you right now."

"Well, if you're ready to join me in the bedroom now, I think you might still have a chance to prove that to me tonight," she teased him with a grin.

"Yeah?" he smiled in return, then dipped his head and quickly kissed her lips. "How good are my chances?"

"So good..." she said in between heated kisses, "...that if...you don't start...moving your butt...down those stairs...right now...we're going to...have to use...this couch...as a substitute."

"I kinda...like the...sound of that...though."

After he tore his lips from hers, he started leaving a trail of hot, wet kisses down her neck and shoulders. He sucked on her pulse point, which sent a jolt of pleasure coursing through Chloe's entire body. Every kiss started a new fire underneath her tingling skin. Her fingers raked through his short yet thick, dark hair, eliciting a deep moan from the back of Davis' throat. He gained control again, though, when his fingers slipped underneath her red blouse and his hands explored her creamy flesh.

"Take it off..." she breathed out huskily.

Humored by her request, yet fully inclined to do as his wife asked, he chuckled, "I thought you wanted to go back ins—"

"No, I can't wait that long," Chloe said in a rush, then pulled the top over her head and discarded it to the floor, leaving her in a hot pink lacy bra and a red and orange ankle-length skirt she just got on their honeymoon. "I want you right now."

"That makes two of us," he whispered against her lips, as he molded her body against his own, which only made the sensationally throbbing pain in his pants grow stronger. "God, I love you so much, Chloe..."

"Make love to me, Davis..." she begged and pulled him into a deep, passionate kiss.

Driven by love, lust, and everything else in between, Davis raised her arms over her head with hands and interlocked their fingers, his face buried in her neck, lavishing her skin with sweet kisses. In a slow, sensual movement, their arms came down until they pressed against her waist and he let go so he could hook his fingers around the skirt's elastic waistband. Davis pulled the cotton material down her body until the dress was pooling around her feet. Now only in her matching pink panties and bra, Chloe's fingers undid the button and zipper to his jeans, as he removed his black and white Metallic t-shirt in one swift motion, then tossed it on the floor with the rest of their shed clothing. Tongues clashing in a fierce lip lock, they kissed their way from the center of the room to the right side where Clark's couch was currently located and Chloe laid herself down with open arms for Davis. Being careful not to crush her with all of his bodyweight, he got on top of her, looking deep into her green eyes and caressed her cheek with his thumb.

She felt so special and loved every time Davis looked at her this way, assuring the blonde that she was the only woman in his heart—that he wasn't lusting for a Minthe when she wasn't within his target range—but tonight wasn't about that; Chloe already knew he was hers and she was his. Davis was free man, which meant the stress of worrying about someone taking him away was finally over. They could officially start the rest of their lives together. And they were going to start it tonight. Two souls joined as one forever. The rest of the world didn't matter. Their love was the only thing that mattered.

Once Davis removed the rest of their clothing and they were underneath a cream-colored, soft wool blanket, he and Chloe were in full throes of sheer passion until he finally collapsed on top of her after hours of lovemaking. The newlyweds, exhausted but content, basked in their afterglow. Their bodies were slick with sweat, yet the cool night air felt good against their skin. Davis' back was now pressed against the back of the couch while Chloe's body took up the majority of the cushion space. He didn't mind, though. Brushing his fingers along the side of her face and kissing her disheveled hair, Davis thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Everything he always wanted—building a life together with Chloe—was almost a reality.

"What's going on in that head of yours, Mr. Bloome?" the blonde grinned at her husband.

"What?" he asked, snapping out of his daze.

"I could tell your wheels were turning just by the way you've been staring at me for the past two minutes," she giggled in amusement. "What's got you in such a trance?"

"Thinking about our future together."

"Hmm..." she smiled, then cupped his cheek before reaching up to softly kiss his lips. "It's going to be perfect."

"Remember last week when we talked about starting over someplace else someday?"

"Yes."

"Well, I was thinking...maybe we could start doing some research towards possible places to settle down. I mean, if you're—if you're ready for it. I don't want to push you into anything too fast."

"Are you serious?" her eyes sparkled with anticipation and she sat up to look at him more properly, the wool blanket still covering up her body from the chest down.

"No, I want to continue living under your best friend's roof just to annoy the heck out of him," he replied sarcastically. "Of course I'm being serious."

"Do you have any places in mind?"

"Not really, but between the money I still have saved up—"

"And the money I've saved from all the side jobs I've done for the league as Watchtower," Chloe added.

"—I thought we could put a down payment on a house once we've decided where we want to live. What do you think?"

"I think you've just made me the happiest woman in the world," she grinned and snaked her free arm around his neck. "You've made me so happy, Davis. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Probably pine away for the rest of your life, waiting for Clark to come around," he joked, which received him a playful smack on the chest.

He caught her lips in a heated kiss before she could attack him a second time, then gently lowered her back down on the couch, where love and desire quickly filled their senses again, and soon the couple was kissing each other senselessly, moaning out sweet nothings in rapture, and making passionate love in the barn without a single worry in the world.

* * *

Wearing a light blue jacket, a white tank top and a pair of denim jeans, Kara was taking a long stroll around the grounds on the Kent farm. The night air was cool and crisp, perfect for stargazing, but like Chloe, she had been unsuccessful in trying to locate Demeter. Kara came across a single tree beside the wooden fence where the cattle roam during the day, and smiled when she saw that her cousin had craved—or, rather, used his heat vision to burn a heart shape with the words "Clark loves Lana" inside it on the tree.

"Lois better not see this," she giggled upon touching the engraved words.

The blonde was just about to continue her walk when a screeching-like ringing noise wreaked havoc on her eardrums. Her super-hearing only made the blaring sound feel a thousand times louder, but she realized through the intense pain that the sound was coming from just beneath her feet. With one hand still covering her left ear, Kara got down on her knees and used her superhuman strength to punch her fist through the ground like it was tissue paper. She immediately felt something hard just a foot underneath the earth's surface. Grabbing ahold of the mysterious item, she pulled out it seconds later, and the ringing noise instantly came to a halt. After standing up and wiping off the dirt off the smooth, silver object, Kara saw that it was in the shape of a large arrow with jagged edges. The Kryptonian symbol for the letter "K" in the English language, which looked like the number eight with a rectangle drawn through the bottom loop, was engraved on the artifact.

"It can't be..." Kara breathed out in just above a whisper, half-convinced that this was one of the missing artifacts she and Kal-El had been searching for.

The blonde was about to superspeed herself back into the house to show her cousin the arrow-shaped stone when the "K" symbol began to glow a bright white light. The energy from the light was growing brighter by the second, but when Kara tried to let go of the object, she quickly found out that she couldn't, as the mysterious item had somehow leeched itself onto her skin.

Meanwhile, Clark, who sensed that something wasn't right, came out of his house through the front door and saw his cousin in the far distance. The growing white light automatically alarmed him, and as soon as he heard her screaming out his name, the farm boy knew she was in danger.

"Kara!" he yelled back. Clark went into hero mode, immediately using his superspeed in attempt to reach her quicker, yet only milliseconds before he was able to catch his cousin's hand, the flash of light engulfed her, and with it, she disappeared from his sight all together.

_Kara was gone_.

* * *

_**Please review! **_


	19. 9x13 Part I: Interruptions

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**A/N:** I know most of you probably weren't expecting to see this story updated ever again, but fellow fanfic writer and Dollie shipper, **BeverlyQueen**, convinced me to continue after praising me for my latest story, _Birds & Arrows_.

**Special note:** Remember that like Black Canary in the comics, Alaina Huffman (Dinah) has blue eyes. I say this because she will not be using her hazel contacts during the Dollie scene in this chapter.

* * *

**Chapter Nineteen: **Interruptions

After searching all night long for his Kryptonian cousin, Clark walked through the back door of his home and into his family's kitchen, only to find Chloe and Davis sitting at the dining room table in their pajamas, smiling as they kissed and fed each other pancakes. Ignoring the instant churning feeling in his stomach caused by the happy newlyweds' affection, the farm boy knew he could waste no time in continuing his search for Kara's whereabouts.

"Hey, Clark," the blonde smiled at her best friend. "Davis just made some blueberry pancakes for—"

"Kara disappeared last night," he quickly cut her off, his facial expression matching the seriousness in his tone.

"Oh, my God," Chloe breathed out in shock.

"Do you know how she disappeared?" Davis wondered.

"Last night I sensed something was wrong on the farm," Clark began, "so I went outside to check things out and I found Kara screaming for help. There was a bright white light surrounding her, and right before I was able to grab her, the light took her. I've been searching all night, but I still haven't found her."

"Have you tried the Fortress yet?" Chloe asked, as the couple got up from the table and walked over to Clark.

"That's where I'm headed to next."

"Not without me," Davis firmly interjected.

"Davis, I have no idea what I'm walking into, and I'm not about to let you risk your life after what happened the last time you were brought to the Fortress."

"Kara's my family now, Clark. She's my cousin and I love her. I'd do anything for her."

"I know that," he assured him, "but it's still too big of a risk for you to go up there right now, especially when you don't have your powers to protect you anymore. Besides, I would never forgive myself if something happened to you before the baby was born."

"He's right, Davis," the blonde concurred with her best friend. "If there's any chance that the Fortress has become a highway to the danger zone, the last thing we want to see is you getting hurt again."

Clark nodded his head in agreement before saying, "I'll be back when I find Kara."

With that said he turned around and left the farm in a flash.

* * *

Despite the fact that harsh weather conditions never affected Kara as long as she had her powers, she was surprised to find herself regaining consciousness in the impervious cold of the Arctic. Once fully awaken, the headstrong blonde realized that she was still holding onto the silver, arrow-shaped "K" stone she had discovered earlier at the Kent Farm and guessed that she was probably being held in a secret chamber within the Fortress. After picking herself up, she noticed a glowing altar in the middle of the private ice temple and walked towards it without flinching. She reached out and touched the glowing beacon with her fingertips, until the white light instantly turned blue and the stone was ripped out of her hand. Now levitating on its own, the magical stone hovered above the altar for several moments, before it finally landed into a slot on top of the table and the blue light died down, returning to its original state.

As a million questions were racing through her mind, Kara saw that there were five other empty spaces left to be filled on the altar in order to complete the mysterious puzzle.

"I was right," the blonde said out loud to herself. "This is one of the six artifacts we need to find Kandor, isn't it, Jor-El?"

She waited for a response from her uncle, but not a single sound was made. It didn't matter to Kara, though. Her fierce determination to find Kandor and save her bloodline had been rekindled, and this time nothing was going to stop her from completing her mission.

_Nothing_.

* * *

Now dressed in a black and white Affliction t-shirt, some faded jeans and a pair of black DVS skate shoes, Davis walked into the Kent living room to find his wife standing on top of the sturdy oak coffee table, attempting to change a light bulb for the ceiling fan—yet she wasn't tall enough to reach. Watching the scene, it instantly reminded him of the first time he met her at the Isis Foundation. The chemistry and attraction between them that day was so intense… so electric that the sparks between them could have easily lit the bulb on their own. He almost thought they had.

"You know," Davis started, surprising Chloe when she heard his voice, "if you reach just _a little_ _bit_ higher, you're definitely going to need an ambulance."

She grinned, "Guess I'm lucky there's a paramedic in the house."

"Ex-paramedic," he corrected her. "I doubt the hospital would ever reinstate me after the newspapers dubbed me the Cornfield Killer."

"You'll get your job back, Davis," she assured him. "And even if you don't, I'm sure there are a lot of people at the hospital who miss you and want to know how you're doing, especially now that this whole psycho thriller is over."

"Yeah, and out of everyone there, I bet Rachel misses me the most."

"Who's Rachel?" she asked, suspecting this woman might be an old girlfriend of his.

Smiling at himself, Davis continued to play it cool. "Oh, she's just this _really_ hot nurse I had a thing for—you know, before I met you."

"Uh-huh," Chloe mumbled with a hint of indignation in her voice. "And did she like you?"

"Well, we did make out on the hospital rooftop a few times, so I'm pretty sure—"

"_Davis_!"

He chuckled and put his hands up defensively to stop her from going off the handle. "Relax, Chloe. Nothing ever happened between us. I was just messing with you."

"Oh," the blonde huffed and started to calm down. "Good. I'm glad to hear that."

"Besides, nothing ever could happen between us once I met you," he admitted in a much softer tone, gazing at her with a tenderness she hadn't seen since the day he confessed his feelings for her outside the Talon. "I've loved you since the moment we met."

"I love you too," she replied softly.

Silence filled the space between them for several seconds, until Chloe finally spoke up again. "So you are going to help me with this light bulb or not, my renegade paramedic?"

"Gimme," Davis grinned as he got top of the coffee table with her and grabbed the bulb.

He reached up to the ceiling fan and after a few short twists of bulb in the correct socket, it lit and the couple looked back down at each other. Instantly catching one another in an intense gaze, a wave of déjà vu swept through the pair while they both recalled the last time they were in this exact position. Chloe forced herself to stifle a gasp of surprise when she saw that sparkle of dark desire in his eyes. The lust-filled gaze mesmerized her; it frightened her; it sent shivers of pleasure down her spine; it made her feel every emotion Clark and Jimmy never could.

Davis quickly sensed her torn fascination and decided to be the first one to speak this time.

"You know, the last time we were in this position, there's something I really wanted to do."

"Yeah, I think I've got a pretty idea of what that something was."

"It was that obvious, huh?" the loner wondered, looking down at the table when he felt himself blushing.

"Well, keeping your feelings for me a secret was never one of your strong suits. You always wore your heart on your sleeve."

"Only with you, Chloe," he admitted in just above a whisper.

Davis reached out and caressed her cheek with his thumb, once again sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. With her mouth partially open, the blonde stood paralyzed by the effect he had on her. Blood was rushing through her veins; the sound of her heart beating was pounding in her ears; and her breathing was becoming shallower by the second.

Finally closing the small space between them, Davis cupped the back of Chloe's neck and kissed her passionately. She wrapped her arms around his neck and raked her fingers through his dark hair instinctively, kissing him back with just as much fervor. His hands softly grazed down her clothed back, starting fires underneath her skin. He soon tore his lips from hers and dipped his head lower to kiss and nip at her neck, sucking at her pulse point. The swift motion nearly made her knees buckle; she couldn't take much more of this. The sweet torture was too excruciating. And by the hardness that was being pressed up against her inner thigh, the ex-reporter could tell it was for him, too.

"I want you, Davis…" she purred out in rapture.

He raised his head up to find his wife's eyes glazed over with lust. His entire body yearned for her. Deep down, the ex-paramedic knew this wasn't the right time to whisk Chloe off to bed, especially with his adoptive cousin missing. But a gut feeling was telling him that she was all right and Clark would bring her home safe. He would be reunited with Kara again. In the meantime, though, Davis wanted to make the most of his alone time with his "Persephone".

He was just about to carry Chloe off bridal-style to their bedroom when a knock at the front door snapped them out of their hazy, aroused state. The couple disentangled themselves from one another and fixed their hair and clothes just before they saw Jimmy enter the house.

"Hey, guys," he smiled at the newlyweds until he saw them standing on the furniture, both a little short of breath. "Um, I know this probably isn't any of my business, but what are you two doing on top of the coffee table?"

"Just changing a light bulb together," Davis answered in a causal manner, as he got off before helping his pregnant wife down.

"Okay…" he replied, trying not to feel awkward about the scene and quickly decided to change the subject. "So where's Kara? Is she still getting ready for the concert?"

Chloe and Davis exchanged glances, then turned their attention back over to the ace photographer.

"Jimmy, I think there's something you need to know," she began, walking closer to her ex-husband.

"What? Is it about Kara? Is she okay?"

"Clark told us earlier this morning that Kara disappeared," Davis informed him. "She's been gone all night."

"Are you saying she's been kidnapped?"

"We don't know the whole story," Chloe calmly explained, "but Clark's on the case and we suspect she's at the Fortress."

"The Fortress," Jimmy repeated. "You mean she's being held in that Arctic castle CK was telling me about?"

"It's possible," Davis nodded, "but I've got a feeling that wherever she is, Kara's okay."

"The important thing is, Clark's doing everything he can to find her," the blonde reminded him, "and he's not going to stop looking for our Dorothy until she's returned from the Land of Oz and back on the farm."

* * *

Clark zipped into the Fortress at lightning-fast speed, scanning every inch of the ice palace as soon as he came to a stop. To his disappointment, however, Kara was nowhere to be found. He had spent hours searching for her, checking every location he could possibly think of for where she might be, and he had still come up empty.

What if she was no longer on Earth? Forcing himself to not think the worst, he called out her name.

Kara, who was locked still inside the private chamber, snapped out of her trance once she heard his voice.

"Kal-El, I'm in here!" she yelled back.

Picking up the sound of her voice, he followed it and said, "Kara? Kara, where are you?"

A secret door to the chamber slowly slid open, while relief filled Clark when he found the blonde standing on the other side. The cousins raced towards one another, embracing in a heartfelt hug.

"Kal-El, I found it," she said breathlessly. "I found one of the six artifacts we need to locate Kandor."

Letting go of her, "Is that what made you disappear last night?"

"Yes, but we need to find the other five stones and place them on that altar before we can receive the next clue."

"Allow me to save you the trouble of telegramming Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson for help," a third voice suddenly entered the conversation.

Clark turned around to find none other than Tess, who was sporting an expensive black fur coat and a devilish smirk. By the devious look in her eyes, the farm boy could tell that she had been expecting them.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded, clenching his fists in order to keep his emotions under control.

"Believe it or not, Clark, I'm here to help you."

"And why should we believe anything you say?" Kara shot at her bitterly.

"Because if you don't let me help you, then the fate of the entire world will be in jeopardy."

* * *

Rays of sunlight seeped through the yellow sheer curtains in Dinah's bedroom, as she and Oliver were holding each other close in her king-size bed after making sweet love for the past two hours. With their arms wrapped around one another, holding each other close, the happy couple was laying tingled up in her black sheets, enjoying a nice, quiet morning together.

"I could spend all day like this," Ollie sighed airily before kissing the top of her head.

"I know you could," Dinah looked up at him with a smile, "but we promised Emil that we would help him with the security updates at the Watchtower, remember?"

"Well, I don't think Emil would mind if we postponed the updates one day. Besides, how often do we get a whole day to ourselves?"

"Not very often," she giggled.

"So why don't we take this opportunity…" he whispered against her skin, beginning to plant butterfly kisses down her neck and collarbone. "…and play hooky for once?"

"No, Ollie, we can't…" her words were soon trailing off, as she felt her defenses weakening with every soft kiss and gentle touch. "You know our responsibilities…to the team…need to come first…"

Dinah's words fell upon deaf ears while he continued his assault on her body. A part of her wanted to push him away for what he was doing, for using sex as a weapon to get his way. Yet both of them knew she would never act on her anger, because she wanted this moment as much as he did. Ollie knew her completely—heart, body and soul. She felt complete with him. It was as if they were destined to be together. His frivolous playboy days were behind him, and she was the only woman he wanted in his life. All was just as it should be.

Bringing his head up to her level, her blue eyes met his brown ones in a love-struck gaze.

"I love you, Pretty Bird."

She smiled at hearing those three words, along with his affectionate nickname for her, and cupped his cheek gently. "I love you too, Ollie."

Hearing her say the words in return for the first time was like music to his ears. The smoothness of her touch, the love in her eyes, the sincerity in her voice—this moment was real and he was finally sharing it with a woman he truly loved.

He rolled himself onto his back so she was now on top and dug his fingers through her long blonde hair, cupping the back of her head.

"You mean everything to me, Pretty Bird—and I'm not just saying that because it's one of the corniest lines in the book."

While they playfully giggled at his last comment, she said, "Used that line on women a lot, have you?"

"Well, even if that was true—which it's not—this is the first time I've ever really meant it."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, that's right," he nodded with a smile just before tilting his head and kissing her on the lips.

Not more than a few seconds into their sensual kiss, though, the doorbell started ringing. The sound caused Dinah to pull back and look at her bedroom door. She was just about to get up to find out who was at her front door when Oliver stopped her.

"Just ignore it," he protested and began kissing her neck again in attempt to sway her.

"What if it's an emergency?" she weakly argued, struggling not to fall for his seductive charm again—until the sound of the doorbell ringing a second time helped regain her focus. "Ollie, stop. It might be one of the guys."

Grumbling in defeat, he stopped lavishing her neck with kisses and replied, "All right, but if the sky isn't falling and Godzilla isn't terrorizing the city right outside your front door—"

"Then I'll come right back," she promised and gave him a quick peck on the lips.

After Dinah tossed her sheets aside, the handsome billionaire boy managed to sneak a peek at his girlfriend's nude body before she slipped on her silky black robe.

While walking down the hallway and into her living room, the blonde ran her fingers through her tousled hair to make herself feel a little more presentable. Dinah opened her front door to find a man in his early thirties, well-dressed in a black business suit and gray tie…. A man she hadn't seen and rarely spoken to in over three years…. A man she could never forget….

"_Bruce_."

* * *

**A/N: **Yes, it's true! **Christian Bale**—I mean, **Bruce Wayne/Batman**—has finally come to Metropolis! What else needs to be said? LOL!

_**Please review! **_


	20. 9x13 Part II: Revelations

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**A/N: **Okay, I changed my mind! I've decided to continue the story (at least for the time being) in hopes that this chapter—or the spoilers in my endnotes—will bring me more support than the previous chapter did. This chapter is _much_ shorter than what I usually post, but part of the reason is because I can't move forward until this particular arc in the storyline is finished.

As a side note, for those of you who don't support Dollie in my story, I'm sorry, but this couple is CANON in the DC Comics and they totally rock together in the animated series _Justice League Unlimited_. (Am I right, Bev?)

Anyways, thanks for reading!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty:** Revelations

"Bruce," Dinah breathed out in utter surprise. "What—What are you doing here? How did you know I live here?"

The handsome billionaire chuckled, "Well, that wasn't exactly the hello I was expecting, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised, either. It's been a long time."

"Almost three years, Bats," she reminded him, smiling. "But I guess being the savvy businessman and superhero stud you are must take up so much time in your life that it's easy to forget your friends, huh?"

"I could never forget you, Di," he shook his head with a twinkle in his eye. "How could I after college and everything Ted put us through in our martial arts training?"

"Training with him was more like military boot camp," she giggled.

"Pretty Bird," the blonde suddenly heard Oliver calling her nickname from inside the apartment. "Hey, what's taking you so long? Is everything all right?"

The former _Daily Planet_ talk show host turned around to find him wearing a pair of emerald green boxers and a plain white tee, surprised to see the successful businessman on her doorstep.

"Bruce Wayne? What are you doing in Metropolis? Don't you have enough paparazzi and worker bees fawning over you in Gotham City?"

"You two know each other?" Dinah pointed at both men.

"Not personally," Bruce answered, "but we've crossed paths at a few charity functions and award ceremonies over the years."

"So what brings you to town this time?" Ollie wondered.

"Isn't it obvious? I'm here to see this lovely lady. Dinah and I used to attend college together in Gotham way back when."

"You're old friends, huh?" the playboy replied in an all-too-calmly fashion before staring at his girlfriend. "Funny, I had no idea."

The superheroine couldn't help but feel a tad bit guilty by his last comment, yet she knew now was not the time to get into it with Oliver. There would be plenty of time for him to throw his sarcastic punches and comical quips at her later.

"I didn't mean to interrupt your morning," the dark-haired man apologized. "It's just haven't seen Dinah in quite some time and I wanted to surprise her. I was actually hoping to take you out to lunch this afternoon if you were free, but obviously you're not, so I'll leave and schedule a time that's more suitable for you later."

'_Yeah, how about the 12th of never, pal?'_ Ollie thought to himself.

"No, you know I would love to have lunch and catch up with you, Bruce," she insisted, infuriating her boyfriend to the core. "It's just Oliver and I promised a friend of ours that we would help him out with something today."

"Yes, that's right," the blond added, wrapping a protective arm around her.

"Then how about the Ace of Clubs for dinner tonight?" Bruce persisted. "Say, around 7?"

"That would work," Dinah nodded in agreement.

"Great," he grinned, taking a step forward to grab her right hand and kiss the top of it. "It's wonderful to see you again, Di. You've never looked more beautiful."

"Thank you," she smiled, blushing faintly. "You look good, too."

"Nice to see you again, Oliver. I'll be looking forward to tonight."

'_That makes one of us.'_

Ending the conversation there, the couple watched the eligible bachelor exit the building before they went back inside her apartment, at which point Ollie finally let his feelings out.

"What the hell was that?"

* * *

"I mean it, Clark," Tess reaffirmed her stance while she, Clark and Kara still stood in the middle of the Fortress. "If you don't let me help you, the entire world will be in danger."

"Danger from what?" he questioned her. "Kara and I know you were the one who stole my key and found the other five Kryptonian artifacts, so why should we listen to you when you only need one more to complete the puzzle?"

"That's why we shouldn't listen to her, Kal-El," the blonde interrupted, firmly gripping his left arm. "Remember what she did to Davis last year? We can't trust anything she says. She'll only use us to get what she wants."

"What I want is to protect the planet from annihilation," Tess snapped at her angrily.

"You had a pretty strange way of showing it when you kidnapped Davis and chose him to be Zod's vessel."

"Zod would have been released either way, Kara. Inhabiting Davis' body was just one of his escape routes."

"Don't you dare try and play the innocent bystander act with me, lady. You hurt one of the people I care most about for your own sick, twisted pleasure. I don't know how you sleep at night."

"You two have been so protective of Davis this entire time that you've blinded yourselves from the truth. I'm on your side. Everything I've done since I learned Clark's secret has been for his sake."

"Well, if that's really true," he spoke up again, "then give me the artifacts and let us handle things from here."

"I wish I could, but I can't do that, Clark."

"Why not?"

"Because I made a deal with the devil to come as far as I have, and if he finds out that I turned the stones over to you, the _Texas Chainsaw Massacre_ will look like a cakewalk compared to what he'll do to me."

"So this isn't just about helping us, is it?" Kara interjected, seeing right through her ploy. "You pretended to join the wrong side to get all the inside information you needed, and now you're in over your head, aren't you?"

"Is that true, Tess?" Clark cornered her. "Did you come here to ask for our help?"

"In the beginning, I thought I could handle him on my own," the redhead confessed, "but as time went on, it got harder and harder to keep my shields up, and now I'm afraid he's cracked through all my defenses."

"Him who? Who else is after the stones?"

"_Zod_."

* * *

"Ollie, I don't see why you're making such a big deal about this," Dinah argued while she made their bed and he got ready in the bathroom. "It's not like I was keeping my friendship with Bruce a secret from you. The subject just never came up. Besides, we haven't seen each other in three years. We've barely kept in touch."

"The guy was practically undressing you with his eyes at your front door!" Oliver snapped at his girlfriend after he walked out of the bathroom shirtless to look directly at her.

"So does every other guy we see when we're out together, but you don't go _Fatal Attraction_ over their dog drooling."

"For obvious reasons, I might add: 1.) They don't know you and 2.) I never have my crossbow on me when they're doing that—because if I did, your body would be the last thing they see."

"You know, for a guy who made the society page every time he took a new girl home, you really don't cope with jealousy all that well, do you?"

"Oh, this coming from the woman who overreacted when she saw me being friendly with Zatanna. Nice."

Shocked he would throw their recent magician minx incident in her face, she coldly whispered to him, "That was low, Ollie."

"Then you should have a pretty good idea why I feel the way I do about your dear, good friend Bruce Wayne."

Dinah said nothing in return. She merely finished making the bed in frustration before heading towards her bathroom to take a shower, until he placed his hands on her shoulders from behind and stopped her.

"Pretty Bird, wait," he pleaded, turning her around to face him. "I don't want us to keep fighting like the Bickersons. I just want you to understand that the reason why I'm acting this way is because you mean more to me than the last girl I brought home—or every other girl I brought home for that matter. I love you more than I've loved anything in my whole life."

"I know that, Ollie," she replied in a gentle manner. "But there's something you need to understand, too. Even if Bruce or any other guy was interested in me, it wouldn't matter because the only man I want in my life is you." She cupped his face with her hands and kissed him soundly on the lips. "You and only you."

Wrapping his arms around her, he said, "You mean that, Pretty Bird?"

"Every word, Green Bean."

At long last the smiling couple felt they reached a place of contentment in their conversation. The pair closed the small space between them and kissed as though they didn't have a trouble in the world. Dinah slowly snaked her arms around his neck, pulling him closer and enjoying the pleasant moment, until Oliver got a wicked thought. He broke the kiss and effortlessly lifted her off the ground. Despite the fact that her instincts caused the expert martial artist to wrap her well-toned legs around his torso, the sudden motion still startled her enough to gasp out in surprise. With a cheeky grin on his face, he began carrying Dinah over to her bed.

"Ollie, what are you doing? We're supposed to be leaving for the Watchtower soon."

"Don't worry," he responded nonchalantly before laying the beautiful blonde on top of the bed and untying the sash to her black silk robe. "We'll leave just as soon as I'm done 'playing hooky' with my Canary this morning."

* * *

**Coming up!**

- With (part of) Tess' secret revealed, Clark, Davis and eventually Chloe discuss what their next move should be concerning Zod and the Kryptonian artifacts.

- A private conversation between Bruce and Dinah reveals a lot about their past relationship and his current feelings for her.

- Oliver starts to bond with Kara while they discuss his love for Dinah and growing jealousy towards Bruce.

**Down the road…**

- Regardless of Chloe's marriage to Davis, Mason/Zod continues pursuing her. Will she finally see through his façade, or give into his advances?

- Huntress returns for another Justice League mission!

- Bruce's presence in Oliver and Dinah's lives continues to put a strain on their relationship.

**A/N:** Does any of this sound exciting? Please review and let me know!


	21. 9x14: Honesty

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**A/N: *IMPORTANT* **I finally saw Christopher Nolan's _The_ _Dark Knight Rises_ for the first time in late August, and while I absolutely _loved_ the movie, due to the Dinah/Bruce arc that I have chosen to include in my story, it will require altering a few things from the film's ending, including the following:

1.) Bruce/Batman returns to Gotham after the bomb detonates, so no one thinks he's dead.  
2.) Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) is no longer dating Bruce, but she will most likely make a special appearance somewhere in the storyline later on. After all, you can't have Black Canary, Huntress and Catwoman all in the same story and not include a _Birds of Prey_ arc.  
3.) Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine), Bruce's butler/confidant/father-like figure, returns to Gotham to assist him once again. He and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) will probably make a few appearances in my story.

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-One: **Honesty

"Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long," Dinah smiled as she approached Bruce's small table outside of Metropolis' Coffee Stop.

"Not at all," he grinned just before she planted a friendly kiss hello on his cheek. "I'm glad you had a chance to meet me for coffee on such short notice."

"I didn't have much to do this morning," the blonde explained while she seated herself across from the handsome billionaire. "Besides, Ollie's busy helping out a friend of ours right now."

"Which means I'm free from getting grilled by your jealous hound boyfriend yet again," he chuckled.

"I'm sorry," she laughed with him for a moment. "I should have given you an advance warning prior to the three of us having dinner the other night. I know Ollie's a bit tough to take. It's just because he's so protective of the people he cares about."

"Well, from that death glare he kept giving me every time I mentioned something about our past, you must be at the top of his list."

"Yeah, I guess I am," she admitted with a faint blush.

"Think he's the one?"

"I think it's a little early to be asking me something like that, but if you're wondering whether Ollie makes me happy, the answer is yes. He makes me very happy."

"Happier than I did?"

The question threw Dinah so off-guard that had she been holding anything in her hands, it would have dropped right then and there. Deep down, the blonde knew this sort of question would inevitably arise during one of their conversations while he was staying in Metropolis, but now that the question here—popping up the very first time they're alone together since his unannounced appearance on her doorstep—she still hadn't prepared herself for how she would answer him.

As happy memories of their whirlwind romance flashed through her mind, several moments of silence passed between the pair until a twenty-something waitress brought their coffees out to them. Bruce thanked the young woman, giving her a large tip and one of his world-famous charming smiles.

When she finally had the courage to speak again, Dinah took a gulp of her coffee to clear her throat before saying, "Bats, I don't think now is—"

"You don't have to say anything, Di. I'm sorry for putting you on the spot like that. I was just curious. After all, we've been friends for a long time and I want to make sure he's treating you right."

"He is—he does treat me right. You don't have to worry about that."

"Good," Bruce nodded softly, then took a sip of his coffee. "I'm glad to hear his infamous playboy days are long behind him."

"Are yours?" she questioned him, throwing him a curveball. He gave her a quizzical look while she replied, "Selina told me that the two of you broke up after you turned out to be too much of a Goody Two-Shoes for her taste."

"Wait—how do you know Selina Kyle?"

"Give a girl some credit, Bats," she smirked. "You're not the only superhero who gets around."

"Where did you two meet?"

"In Gotham a few years ago, when I was out on patrol one night. I caught her trying to steal a sapphire necklace from Mayor Garcia's wife. After I took it from her, we had a long talk and we've been in touch on-and-off ever since. She's a little rough around the edges, but I like her. She does a lot more for the word of justice than she's willing to admit."

"I know. That's why I liked her, too."

* * *

"…and that's when Tess revealed to us that Zod is also after the Kryptonian stones we've been searching for."

Kara had just gone over explaining what had recently occurred at the Fortress to Oliver as they stood in the middle of the Watchtower, yet while the blonde waited for her leader to make a response, she noticed that his thoughts were elsewhere. He was lost in a daze, not concentrating on the delicate information she had just given him like he should have been.

"Oliver!" she snapped at him, which brought him back to reality. "What's up with you this morning? I just got finished telling you that my uncle's greatest nemesis is alive somewhere on Earth, trying to locate Kandor for his own world-dominating agenda, and you're acting like you've seen a ghost floating across your grave."

"I'm sorry, Kara. Guess I've got a lot on my mind."

"Obviously. Anything you want to talk about?"

He threw her a disapproving look. "This is league business, all right, kid? I'm not about to discuss my private life with you over a bowl of ice cream and some chatty girl talk."

"We can skip the bowl of ice cream, but I think we both know you'll actually concentrate on league business if you tell me what's bothering you."

"Thanks, I'll take that under advisement, Dr. Phil," he said with sarcasm.

"C'mon, Oliver, just tell me what's going on. Is it Dinah? Are you two having problems?"

"What—? No, it's not Dinah! She's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Then what's wrong?"

"It's not a 'what' that's the problem, Kara. It's a 'who'."

The headstrong blonde nodded once and decided to take a guess as to who that mystery person was. "An old boyfriend from Dinah's past?"

Ollie stared at her for a brief moment, flabbergasted that she would know on the first try. "How did you—?"

"I may not be from this planet, but after what my Aunt Lara and Uncle Jor-El went through with my father, romantic entanglements are easy for me to spot."

"See, that's the thing. I don't know for sure if he's Dinah's ex-boyfriend."

Now it was Kara's turn to be surprised. "You mean, you haven't even asked her?"

"Hey, settle down there, kid. Most of my relationships have never lasted long enough to reach this particular stage, so excuse me for—"

"—acting totally immature?"

"I would prefer being a novice in the ways of love, if you don't mind."

Kara rolled her eyes at him. "So what makes you think this guy is one of Dinah's ex-boyfriends?"

"I don't know. Everything, I guess. He says he's an old friend of hers from college, but you should've seen the way he was looking at her when we had dinner with him the other night—like she was the only person in the room. He hung into Dinah's every word whenever she talked. He never stopped complimenting—"

"All right, I get the picture. He's attracted to her."

"Yeah, like moths to a flame."

"Well, if you think this guy is more than who he says he is, why don't you just ask her for the truth?"

"Because I've already gotten into one fight with her over him and I don't want to do it again."

"In other words, you're choosing not to be honest with Dinah," she points out, an accusing look on her face.

"Okay, since you seem to have all the answers, Dr. Love, what's your advice for me?"

"If you really think Dinah had a relationship with this guy once, confront her with your suspicions and talk it out."

"That's the best you got? Talk it out? I could've gotten better relationship advice from the latest issue of _Cosmo_."

"It's better than this pathetic guessing game you've been playing!" she angrily spat.

Throwing his hands up defensively, Ollie calmed down in hopes that it would also calm her down. "Fine, I see your point."

"Do you really, or are you just saying it because you think that's what I want to hear?" He said nothing in return, his silence speaking volumes as it filled the space between them until she spoke up again a few moments later. "It's good that you care so much about Dinah, but don't you think you should trust her more?"

"Oh, that's rich coming from you, Kara. Tell me, when you went out with Jimmy the first time, did you give a damn that you were hurting Chloe's feelings in the process?"

Taken aback, Kara was shocked Oliver would throw that in her face—especially since he wasn't even around when it happened. However, once she let his question really sink in, the Kryptonian girl began to realize where he was coming from.

Seeing the hurt spread across her facial features, Oliver instantly regretted his choice of words. Kara was his teammate and friend. She was trying to help him make sense of a potential problem in his love life—and here he was pointing out her flaws of what it means to be a good friend. He had no right to point out her past relationship mistakes when he wasn't even angry with her.

"Kara, look, what I just said was completely out of line. I didn't mean to—"

"No, you're right. I didn't care about Chloe's feelings, but bonding with Davis over these past few months and seeing what he shares with her has opened my eyes, helped me understand how important human emotions really are. So if you love Dinah as much as you say you do, then you have to be honest with her about everything. Don't hold anything back."

Listening to her response, the handsome billionaire knew she was right, yet too many things still worried him. He was unsure if he wanted know whether or not his Pretty Bird had a past relationship with Bruce. He was afraid that the guy's playboy days were anything but over—and she was next on his list. Most of all, he was terrified of screwing things up with Dinah over his jealous insecurities and not knowing where he crossed the line until it was too late.

"It's not that I don't trust Dinah. I trust her with my life and I know she loves me. But I also know guys like Bruce Wayne. He's the kind of guy who enjoys flaunting the pretty girls in front of a large crowd of cameras, yet really after the ones he can't have. I know that because I've done it myself—more times than I can count. And the last thing I want is to lose Dinah to a guy who's exactly like me."

"Then tell her that."

* * *

"Do you remember the night we snuck into the university's pool area after hours?" Bruce asked Dinah over their second cup of coffee.

"How could I forget? It was the first time you convinced me to go skinny dipping in a public place—only for campus police to catch us in the act two hours later. We almost couldn't get our clothes back on fast enough."

"The guy chasing us probably needed some exercise anyway. After all, it's not every day campus police gets to pursue a couple of college students just looking for a little fun."

"There was nothing 'little' about your kind of fun, Bats. You brought a whole new meaning to the word 'rebel' when we were together."

"I take that as a compliment."

"You would," she giggled. "Alfred, on the other hand, would lecture you for it."

"You have no idea."

* * *

_Acting like two love-struck teenagers floating on Cloud 9, Bruce and Dinah stumbled through the front door of Wayne Manor soaked from head to toe, laughing hysterically over their exciting night at Gotham University. _

"_Did you see that cop's face when we hopped into the car?" the billionaire playboy asked her breathlessly. "I thought his head was going to explode."_

"_If he had gotten any angrier, it probably would have."_

"_Then it's a good thing we ran when we did."_

"_And who knew you were such a fast runner?"_

"_I didn't know it would be so hard to imagine when—"_

"—_when I know you're so athletic from doing other physical activities that require endurance and stamina," Dinah finished his thought, smiling coyly at her boyfriend. _

_Her spontaneous response increased the sexual tension between them twofold, which made Bruce very eager to pick up where they left off at Gotham University's heated pool. He brought her into his arms, cupped the back of her head and pulled into a deep, sensual kiss. _

_When the pair finally came up for air several moments later, he whispered to her, "If you come upstairs with me right now, I'll show just how fit I am."_

_Laughing at his humorous attempt to get her upstairs, she replied, "Is that your way of trying to seduce me after we trespassed on school property and ran a marathon in wet clothes in order to not get caught?" _

"_Is it working?"_

"_If your evil plan includes sharing a bubble bath and drinking a hot cup of cocoa in front of a fire, then, yes, it's working."_

_Just as the young couple started kissing again, Alfred suddenly walked into the foyer and interrupted them by clearing his throat. _

"_Are you two going to stand there all night trying to catch a cold, or do I need to call one of the maids to assist you in drying off?"_

_Still holding onto Dinah, Bruce replied, "I'm sorry for the late-night disturbance, Alfred. Hope we didn't wake any of the maids."_

"_We didn't mean to upset you, Alfred," she apologized. _

"_Don't be silly, Miss Lance, you're no trouble at all. Master Wayne, on the other hand, is an entirely different story."_

"_So I've noticed."_

"_Shall I have Gretchen prepare a hot bath for you, Miss Lance?"_

"_I appreciate the offer, but no thank you. I will do it myself."_

_Bruce turned to the blonde and said softly, "I'll join you upstairs after I talk to Alfred for a few minutes."_

"_All right," she smiled and gave him a quick peck on the lips before leaving to go up the staircase. _

_After Gretchen brought Bruce a clean towel to dry himself with, he and Alfred walked into his study for a bit of privacy._

"_Do I dare ask why you and Miss Lance returned home looking like you've been traveling through a heavy rainstorm when there hasn't been a single drop of rain out all night?"_

"_We were just having some fun on campus," Bruce left it at that while he rubbed his damp hair dry with the towel. _

"_You two seem to be getting quite close."_

"_You don't approve?"_

"_On the contrary, Master Wayne, I do indeed. Miss Lance is a beautiful, bright young woman and she comes from a very good family. Any man would be lucky to have her at his side, but I think the real question is whether or not you care for her."_

"_Except for Rachel, I've never met anyone like Dinah. She's all the things you said and more. She makes me laugh…makes me happier than I've ever been."_

"_Then what's the problem?"_

"_I think I'm falling in love with her, Alfred."_

_Stunned by his admission, the faithful manservant remained silent for almost a minute until he finally knew what to say._

"_Have you told Miss Lance how you feel about her yet?"_

"_I don't know how to tell her."_

"_It's very simple, though, Master Wayne. You just—"_

"_No, it isn't. Not for me."_

"_Because you've never told anyone you love them since your parents died," Alfred concluded. _

"_It's more than that. Her life's dream is to go to Metropolis and work for the Daily Planet __someday__. I've seen Dinah work at the campus studio and the passion she has in what she does every day on that set. She has the talent and determination to really make something of herself in the world of journalism. I won't allow my personal feelings stand in the way of her dream."_

"_Well, when you put it that way,_ _I can't decide if you're being incredibly naïve, or if you're just looking for an excuse to end your relationship with this girl because she's making you feel things you've never felt before."_

"_I'm not looking for a way out, Alfred. I'm just trying to do the right thing."_

"_Dreams change over time, but love is forever. __I__f you truly wish to do the right thing, you must tell her how you feel."_

_"Sound like you're speaking from experience."_

_"No matter how cliché it might sound, Master Wayne, life is too short to not tell someone you love them."_

* * *

"By the way, where is Alfred?" asked Dinah, snapping Bruce back to reality. "I haven't seen him at all since you arrived."

"Taking the day off. We've have been working day and night with Fox to help restore Wayne Enterprises to the wonderful world of business again after the Miranda Tate fiasco."

Upon hearing that woman's name, Dinah instantly became tense and uncomfortable. Miranda Tate was only another example of why Bruce's notorious playboy days probably weren't behind him.

"What is it?" he asked her, picking up on her sudden change in attitude. "What's wrong?"

"Selina also mentioned Miranda Tate the last time we talked. She turned out to be Ra's al Ghul's daughter, Talia."

"And did our favorite cat burglar forget to include the part where Talia stabbed me while she revealed her backstory?"

"No, she included that part," the blonde said softly, her tone turning more solemn with every word she spoke. "What I wasn't too happy to hear about was that you slept with Tate when you barely knew her—but I wasn't entirely surprised, either. How could I be when your track record with women is identical to Ollie's?"

"It was a mistake, Dinah. I had just lost everything—including Alfred—and I was drowning in grief. I was desperate to feel anything, anything at all, and Miranda was there. She wasn't after my money. She reminded me of Rachel in many ways. Everything I knew about her up to that point sucked me in like a vortex…gave me some sense of hope that I could defeat Bane and find happiness."

"So your idea of trying to 'feel anything' was to screw the first woman who walked up to your front door?"

"I was at the front door, actually. I locked myself out because I didn't have a set of keys to the mansion."

The blonde couldn't help but crack a smile after he said that, knowing that Bruce was intentionally poking fun at himself to get on her good side again. He always did know how to make her laugh.

"I'm sorry, Di," he said apologetically, as he reached across the table to hold her hand with his own. "I never meant for my actions to hurt you or make you think less of me. You mean more to me than she ever did."

"I know," she whispered, seeing the sincerity in his eyes and giving his hand a light squeeze. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when you needed a friend, Bruce."

He gave her a weak smile before lifting her hand to his lips to kiss her knuckles. "If it's any consolation, getting stabbed by a woman hell-bent on revenge taught me that I really need to get to know the women I meet before I hop into bed with them."

"Well, at least you learned that."

* * *

**A/N: **I'm sorry that Chlavis wasn't included in this chapter, but I felt it would have been too long if I had included the Clark/Chloe/Davis scene I mentioned in the previous chapter. Plus, I've had _The Dark Knight Rises_ on my brain ever since I watched the film, so it was impossible for me to not center this chapter on Bruce. Anyways, I have included a few more spoilers below and I hope you like them. :)

**Coming up!**

- Mason/Zod finally uses his friendship with Chloe to get close to Clark and Davis, but that doesn't mean his eye is off the prize: He still intends to keep Chloe for himself and make her his queen!

- Dinah admits to Oliver that she and Bruce were once lovers. Ollie is less than thrilled to have his suspicions confirmed, but she promises him that he is her future.

- Still manipulating both sides for her own agenda, Tess confronts Emil at S.T.A.R. Labs and offers him a tempting deal in exchange for his help.

**Down the road…**

- Chloe's initial suspicions of Mason start resurfacing due to the amount of time he wants to spend with her at Isis. Will her hunch be enough to uncover the truth, or will Zod's charming ways manage to play it off again?

- Ollie has a run-in with Bruce that quickly turns ugly after he pushes the Dark Knight to admit just how close he and Dinah used to be.

- Jimmy wants to take his relationship with Kara up to the next level, but does she with everything else that's going on?

_**Thanks for reading! Please review!**_


	22. 9x15: Pirithous

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**A/N:** I know my Chlavis story has recently taken a Dollie-centric turn, but that's partially because I love the couple so much and partially because I thought it was important to give Dollie their own thread within the storyline, just as I hope to eventually do the same with Clois and Kimmy. This chapter, however, is going to be Chlavis/Chlod-centric and the Dollie/Bruce arc will resume in the next chapter. Also, I want to thank everyone who has continued supporting me since I started up _New Beginnings_ again after such a long hiatus. All of your support has really inspired me to keep the story going. :)

Thanks for reading!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Two: **Pirithous

"Now what do we do?" Davis asked Clark while the two men stood next to one another in the Kents' kitchen.

"We find Zod and get ahold of those stones before he can locate Kandor for his own purpose."

"Well, unless facial recognition has recently been added to your arsenal of super powers, we have no idea what my father looks like. He could be acting like any Average Joe walking down the street and we'd never know the difference."

"That's why I thought sneaking Emil into the mansion and checking the security footage from the past six months would help us identify him, but everything had been striped clean."

"Like he never stepped foot there," Davis added. "He was the one who got rid of the evidence."

"Or it was Tess, to cover her tracks."

"If that's true, then why go to all the trouble of telling us about Zod in the first place?"

"He was overwhelming her. Tess needed reinforcements, and because she knew Kara and I were also looking for the stones, she finally told us about her partnership with Zod. She thought we would come to her aid."

"Are you going to?"

"After everything Tess has put us through since she learned about my powers, the last thing I'm going to do is play into her hand and be her knight in shining armor."

"You don't think Zod is going to come after her for revealing his secret, do you?"

"I'm not sure. But if that's the case, then it probably is the main reason why she chose to get rid of the tapes."

"So Zod can't find the link between the two."

"Exactly," Clark nodded in agreement.

"There's still one thing I don't get. Why did you ask Emil to check the security footage instead of Chloe?"

"Because I'm trying to keep Chloe's stress levels down to a minimum while she's pregnant. After all, we both know it's not good for her or the baby to be under a lot of stress."

"Clark, you can't hide anything from Chloe and you attract stressful situations like a magnet, so rewind and try that answer again."

"Chloe is five months pregnant with your child, Davis. Do you really want her caught in the middle of all this?"

"Of course I don't, but we both know how Chloe is. She's going to be involved—whether we like it or not—because coming to your rescue is part of who she is. You can't change that."

"No matter how many super powers you have, Clark Kent," Chloe smiled at her best friend as she stepped into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around Davis. "Pregnancy or no pregnancy, we're all in this together to the very end."

"Chloe, you know how grateful I've always been to have your help and support, but things are different this time around. You're pregnant, I have no idea where this whole ordeal with Zod will take us and the league, and I don't want you caught in the crossfire."

"Clark, you have never won this argument with me and you're not going to win it now. Davis and I are going to be here every step of the way, seeing you and Kara through the long haul. Come hell or high water, there are going to be no secrets between us, all right?"

The farm boy remained quiet for a moment, unsure if he should agree with her ultimatum. Yet seeing the determination in his best friend's green eyes, he knew she was going to have her way.

"All right, no secrets," he promised.

Chloe grinned in satisfaction and stepped toward Clark to envelope him in a big hug.

"I told you I'd wear him down," she said, speaking to Davis.

"Hey, I had no doubt of that," he chuckled, "especially when his choices were either you or Kara."

Letting go of his best friend, Clark said, "What—you guys knew I was going to try and keep Chloe out of this?"

"It doesn't take telepathy to read your thoughts, Clark," she informed him.

"You're easier to read than Jimmy in a poker game," Davis chimed in.

"Thanks, that's very comforting to know," the farm boy spoke sarcastically.

The newlyweds laughed at his response, until the doorbell suddenly rang a few seconds later and Chloe offered to go answer it. Upon opening the door, though, she was nearly taken aback to see Mason standing in front of her. He was wearing his typical attire, which consisted of an all-black business suit and well-polished black dress shoes.

"Mason, hi," she greeted him with surprise. "What are you doing here? Is everything all right?"

"Yes, everything is fine," he kindly assured her. "I was in the area and I remembered you telling me during our last counseling session that you live here, so I thought I would pop in for a quick visit. Is now not a good time?"

"No! No, now is fine. You just took me by surprise, that's all. Please come in."

"Thank you," Zod smiled in appreciation as she moved aside so he could step through the front door and into the house. "It's wonderful to see you, Chloe, and I must say you are glowing. How far along is the happy mother-to-be anyway?"

"Five months and counting," she beamed, rubbing her stomach affectionately.

"Has the wonderful stage of sleep deprivation hit you yet?"

"No, but I expect to be keeping my husband up during all hours of the night soon enough."

"Then be sure to give him my condolences," he joked with a light chuckle.

"You can give them yourself," the blonde said before leading Zod into the living room.

"Mason, this is my best friend, Clark Kent, and my husband, Davis Bloome. Guys, this is Mason Riley, one of my clients at Isis."

"It's nice to meet you, Mason," Clark said, shaking hands with him.

"Likewise, Clark," Zod nodded. Then, turning his attention over to his son, he extended his hand out to a reluctant Davis. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Davis. From the way Chloe constantly talks about her doting husband since your name was cleared, I feel as though I already know you."

"Same here," Davis barely managed to say, as he stared at him with deep thought and unknowingly shook hands with his own father.

Chloe quickly noticed the rising tension between the two men while they continued to stare at one another and she decided to break them up. "Davis, why don't you help me make some cold drinks for us in the kitchen?"

"Sure," he mumbled and followed her into the kitchen.

While Clark and Zod seated themselves down the couch and began talking, Davis kept studying Mason until Chloe grabbed ahold of his right forearm. "Why do you keep watching him like he's making your spidey sense tingle?"

"Is that the guy?" Davis questioned her. When she didn't answer him immediately and pretended to be busy by grabbing glasses from one of the cupboards, his suspicions were confirmed. "He's the client you were referring to the night we picked out the baby's name."

"Yes, it was Mason," she whispered, hoping the guys wouldn't hear them. "But that doesn't mean he's out to get me like Pirithous was with Persephone."

"That's not what I saw when you brought him into the living room. He couldn't take his eyes off of you."

"Davis, please don't jump into Oliver mode. You know Mason is more than just a client to me. He's my friend, and I don't want him to think you hate him."

"How much do you even know about the guy?"

"I've been counseling him twice a week for almost five months now and we've talked about everything—his powers, his family, his job, his likes, his dislikes, the whole nine yards."

"Chloe, I don't mean to pry—"

"_Then don't_," she retorted with anger blazing in her eyes.

"—but I don't have a good feeling about him. It's like he's hiding something."

"Well, living with a meteor ability for the past five years and feeling like a freak would certainly make most people want to hide who they truly are. My job is to show him that being different isn't the end of the world."

"That's not what I mean. It's like he knows us—knows Clark and I, even though we've never met him before. I don't get a good vibe from this guy, Chloe. I think you should stay away from him."

"You know nothing about Mason or what he's been through, Davis," she sharply interjected. "And I'm not about to stay away from him because you're turning a little green-eyed."

"Chloe, you're taking this—"

"I don't care where you think I'm taking this, Davis! Mason is my friend and he's none of your business. So if you don't like him, stay away from him."

With that said, the blonde finished pouring iced tea into three tall glasses, set them on a red tray, and went back into the living room to rejoin Clark and Zod.

* * *

Later that evening, Chloe stepped into Martha Kent's bedroom wearing a yellow maternity nightgown after saying goodnight to Kara and found Davis reading Homer's _Iliad _in bed. She quietly crawled into bed and patiently waited for him to put his book down on the nightstand before speaking.

"I shouldn't have gone off on you like an axe-wielding madwoman today. You were trying to be honest with me and I practically chopped your head off for it. I'm sorry, Davis."

"No, you were right before. I don't know anything about this Mason guy and I jumped to the wrong conclusions. I guess when I saw how close the two of you were I couldn't help but feel a little jealous. I'm sorry."

"I'm willing to admit that if the situations were reversed I probably would have reacted a thousand times worse and scratched the woman's eyes out, but making Mason out to be Pirithous in our gothic fairytale romance is hardly going to help the Stress-Free campaign Clark's on right now. I mean, one false move and Clark doesn't just jump to the wrong conclusion, he takes a leap across three counties."

Rolling his eyes in annoyance, he sighed, "Don't I know it."

"The important thing to remember is that we exchanged vows in front of God, family and friends, and no one is going to come between the promises we made to each other—not even King Pirithous or your slutty water nymph, Minthe."

"Hey, we haven't even met the woman who will be Minthe yet—"

"And if you _ever_ try to seduce her, dwelling in the Underworld for all eternity is going to be the least of your worries," she threatened him.

"You would also have to turn her into _hedyosmus _in order to the follow the myth."

"Davis!"

"I'm kidding, Chloe," he chuckled, enjoying the fact that it didn't take much to get under her skin while she was pregnant. "Besides, you don't have to worry about another woman coming between us. I'm already with the only woman I want, so there's no contest."

Smiling affectionately, she leaned in and gave him a good, long kiss. Davis was eager to take the kiss further, but Chloe pulled back giggling right before he could make his next move.

"What's so funny?"

"Don't you find it ironic how our relationship keeps revolving around the myth of Hades and Persephone? I mean, Pirithous was determined to claim Persephone as his queen, just as Hades wanted nothing more than to pop Minthe's cherry, but both attempted affairs blew up like Mount Vesuvius."

"So what's that got to do with us? Are you telling me that you've been trying to have an affair with Pirithous behind my back?"

Lightly hitting his arm, she said, "Very funny."

"Then what is it?"

"I guess I just find it interesting that no matter what obstacles come Hades and Persephone's way, their love for another—and perhaps deep hatred towards anyone getting close to their spouse—keeps their marriage going. Nothing and no one can break them apart."

"Just like us," he smiled.

"After all the nonstop mayhem we've been through since last year, our very own version of _The Fugitive_ is finally over and we're starting a family together. I have everything I've ever wanted and it's because of you. My heart belongs to you, Davis. It always will."

Touched by his wife's words, he raised her hand to his lips and kissed the inside of her palm. "I love you, Chloe," he whispered softly.

"I love you too," she whispered back.

Making the first move this time, Davis leaned in and kissed Chloe soundly on the lips. She immediately kissed him back, running her fingers through his short hair and moaning when he slipped his tongue in her mouth. Her moans only turned him on more, as he carefully shifted his body until he was on top of her. Now straddling her, Davis tore his lips from hers and started working his way down her jawline and throat. He sucked on her pulse point, which sent surges of pleasure through Chloe, making her feel as though her whole body was on fire.

Between the heat of passion and the obvious bulge from Davis' boxers rubbing up against her inner thigh, the blonde could barely think straight. She greedily grabbed the hem of his black nightshirt and ripped it over his head, discarding it on the floor. No matter how many times they had been together, his chiseled features made Chloe catch her breath every time she saw them. It was moments like these when she couldn't believe this godlike man was hers. Sometimes he was so sweet and tender when he made love to her that Davis would nearly drive her over the edge in pure ecstasy; and other times he was would act like an untamed beast, so animalistic that she would almost think Doomsday was still inside of him. But whichever mood he was in, Chloe constantly had to remind herself that what they shared was real, not a fantasy.

"God, I love you so much, Davis," she breathed out huskily before kissing him again.

Her words brought a wicked smiled to his lips as he slid his hands down her body and stopped when they reached the hem of her nightgown. Concentrating solely on the material in front of him, Davis began raising it up her body…so slowly that the pace was practically torturing her, starting fires everywhere he touched her. When his hands reached her mid-thigh, he softly caressed the exposed skin with his thumbs until she cried out—

"_Davis!_"

Her spurred-on reaction made him laugh, while he continued his slow assault on her body.

Seeking to even the score, Chloe reached her hand out to stroke his manhood, only to be stopped midway when he caught her wrist. The interception made her to gasp in surprise and look up at him.

"Not yet," he whispered in a raspy tone and she complied.

When his hands reached the curve of her breasts, Davis slipped his hands through her nightgown and fondled both of them with his gentle touch, causing Chloe to tilt her head back and moan in deep pleasure.

"Y-You're…torturing me…D-Davis."

"Just wait," he grinned mischievously and finally shed his wife of the clothing that had seemed bound to her for centuries so that the only thing she wore now was a pair of matching yellow panties.

"No more games," she begged, bringing his face down to her level. "I want you. I need all of you."

She was about to loop her fingers around the elastic band of his boxer shorts when he cupped both sides of her face and gazed lovingly into her eyes, which were clouded over with lust. "You already have me."

There was no sugarcoating to his words afterward—just the simple truth. He belonged to her and her to him—just like their two favorite deities of the Underworld. And in this sweet moment of time, their love was all that mattered.

"I'll always be yours, Davis."

Meanwhile, Zod stood just outside the Kent home, staring up at Martha's dimly lit bedroom window, filled with jealous fury. Chloe called out to him…. Her innocence, her desire to help others, and her attraction towards the unknown made him want her more with every new encounter—and yet she was married to his son…expecting his child…sharing his bed every night!

"Enjoy this small victory while you still can, my son," he whispered to himself, "for she _will_ eventually be mine. And nothing you do will stop me from making her my queen."

* * *

**A/N:** Chlavis loving and Zod jealous as hell—what's better than that? LOL!

Hope you enjoyed! **Please review!**


	23. 9x16 Part I: Quarrel

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything.

**A/N: **With _Arrow_ finally airing on the CW, it's like I'm on a Dollie high right now. Lol! Stephen Amell (Oliver) and Katie Cassidy (Laurel) have been doing an amazing job portraying these legendary comic book characters thus far, and I absolutely love their on-screen chemistry together. So for all of you Dollie fans out there, don't be surprised if I start posting Dollie fanfics for _Arrow_. I actually hope to start writing a few _Arrow_ stories once we get a little further into the season. Anyways, the Dollie/Bruce arc continues in this chapter—with a special surprise at the end.

Hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading!

* * *

**Chapter Twenty-Three: **Quarrel

Oliver and Dinah were lying curled up together on her plush yellow couch in her living room, enjoying each other's company while they watched _Sweet Home Alabama_ one quiet Friday night. After the movie was over and the credits rolled, Dinah turned everything off, kissed her boyfriend's cheek, and suggested they go to bed.

"But I'm not tired yet," he countered.

"Who said anything about going to sleep?" she playfully winked at him.

Ollie liked the sound of that. He gave her one of his million-dollar smiles, grabbed her left hand and led his Pretty Bird down the hall to her bedroom. He barely got Dinah through the doorway before they were all over each other like a couple of horny teenagers. In the haze of passionate kisses and panted breathing, the two lovebirds managed to tear off most of their clothes before they even reached the foot of the bed. Wearing only undergarments now, Oliver lifted Dinah onto her bed, gently crawled on top of her, and gazed deep into her blue eyes.

"I love you, Ollie," she softly whispered against his skin.

He was just about to reciprocate when her words suddenly caught him off-guard, broke the spell he was under. Something in the moment no longer felt right—and he knew exactly what that something was.

"Oliver?" the blonde spoke out his name in confusion.

Getting off of her, he stood up straight again, took a few steps backwards and stared at her with a look of seriousness in his eyes that she had never seen before.

"What's the real deal between you and Bruce Wayne?"

Sitting up now, she sighed and said, "We're playing your favorite indoor activity and you want to talk about another man in my life?"

"Bruce Wayne isn't just _some_ other man in your life, Dinah! And he isn't just an old friend from your college days! He's your ex-boyfriend…isn't he?"

Shocked to the core that Ollie not only figured out that she and Bruce once dated but also chose to throw it in her face this way, she was unable to move or speak while utter silence passed between them. Dinah's silence was deafening to Oliver's ears, though, especially since she wasn't even trying to deny his accusation. It only confirmed his earlier suspicions—and that was enough for him to leave.

"Okay, I think I got my answer," he said before throwing his white tee and pair of jeans back on. "I won't waste anymore of your time. I can show myself out and you can show yourself to Bruce's front door. I'm sure he's missed you knocking on it."

Oliver turned around and was about to leave the room when her voice stopped him.

"Ollie, wait!" she begged. "Let me explain."

Swinging back around, he put on a fake smile and said, "Great! I'd love to hear it."

"It's true. Bruce and I dated in college, but it was over a long time ago. I'm not in love with him anymore."

"Oh, so because you two aren't doing the mattress mambo anymore, that's supposed to make me feel better about him, right?"

"Yes, because the only person I want to be with is you. Bruce's decision to come out here and visit me has _nothing_ to do with our relationship."

"Well, I think him popping up in Metropolis to see you when he's been off the gird for the past eight years has _everything_ to do with our relationship, Dinah."

"Bruce locked himself in that mansion for eight years because he lost the love of his life!" she angrily snapped at him. "You have _no_ _idea_ who he really is, what he's been through, or why he sought me out, Ollie, so stop acting like he's your competition!"

"Don't you dare act like _he's_ the only one knows what it's like to lose the people you love," he retorted just centimeters away from her face. "I have lost more in my life than you or he will _ever_ know."

After hearing Oliver bluntly remind her of his own life struggles, she allowed the animosity between them to die down for a moment and then in a low voice said, "Why does it even matter to you that Bruce and I were once involved? Our relationship is over. It's buried in the past."

"Because Party Boy Wayne is still hung up on you, and for some reason I can't understand, you don't see it! He came to Metropolis to win you back, and he's not going to leave us alone 'til he's won his prize."

"Is that all I am to you? A trophy?"

"No, but I'm beginning to think that's what you see yourself as."

"_Excuse me_?" the blonde spoke out in shock, taken aback. "What the hell do you take me for? A gold-digging slut? You know me, Ollie—or at least I thought you did. I don't go around trolling for handsome billionaire playboys to wine and dine me. I love you for being you, and I love you more than any other man I've ever been with, but if our relationship can't survive exes entering the picture from time to time, or if we can't trust each other's motives for being in this relationship, then maybe you should go."

Suddenly not liking where she was taking this conversation, Oliver couldn't help but ask—

"Pretty Bird, what—what are you saying?"

"If you can't trust me to be faithful to you, or if you think one of my dearest friends would sink so low as to steal me away from you, I can't be with you. And I can't keep watching this incessant jealous streak of yours turn you into the Green-Eyed Monster. I won't be with someone who has the same meaningless arguments with me over and over again. I grew up with a mother who was constantly overprotective of me and I can't live that way anymore."

"I wasn't trying to make you feel this way."

"You don't have to try, Ollie. You just automatically feel threatened by every man who walks up to me and I'm tired of it. This has to stop, or we're through."

"But don't you understand where my jealousy comes from? Lionel Luthor killed my parents, and ever since their deaths I've been consumed by the thought that if they can be taken away from me so easily, then anything can be taken away. I fight to hold onto the things I love most, and if I lost you, Dinah, I don't know what I'd do."

"You're not gonna lose me, Green Bean," she promised, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm sorry I wasn't upfront about my past with Bruce from the start. I guess part of me just didn't want the news to escalate to World War 3."

"Well, if it had, I'm man enough to admit that it mostly would have been my fault."

"Bruce is a friend. He's a good friend, but nothing more. He's my past. You're my future."

"Good," he smiled and leaned in to give her a quick peck on the lips. "Now, what do you say we get back to my favorite indoor activity?"

Dinah rolled her eyes at him. "Isn't that what we always do after a major blowout?"

"Well, you know how much I hate to break tradition."

"Especially when it involves sex," she added while he guided her back over to the bed.

"It's more than just sex with you, Pretty Bird. When we're together—"

"Ollie, skip the poetry reading and make love to me."

Needing no further encouragement, Oliver ripped off his clothes and discarded them to the floor in a matter of seconds. He then crawled on top of her, kissed her like never before, and made sweet love to his Pretty Bird for hours on end.

* * *

As dawn broke the following morning, the lovebirds were lying in bed together, basking in the afterglow of their post-fight lovemaking. Dinah's head was lying on top of his chest, while Ollie held her close in his arms and watched her attempt to fall asleep. He loved watching her sleep. He would watch her chest rise and fall with every breath she took, listening as she inhaled and exhaled. The moment was quiet and peaceful. Everything was good again.

"Dinah?" he whispered her name softly into her ear.

"Hmm?" she sleepily mumbled.

"Move in with me."

Utterly surprised by Oliver once again, her eyes shot open and she held her breath for a few seconds. "What?"

"You heard what I said."

The blonde leaned over and turned on the small black lamp that was sitting on top of her nightstand. Afterward, she sat up with a black sheet covering her nude body and looked down at Ollie, who was watching her in a very calm manner.

"Do you know what you're saying?"

"Yes, and I meant it. I want us to live together."

"You've never done this before…not even with Lois or Tess."

Sitting up with her now, Oliver grabbed Dinah's right hand with his left and stared into her eyes. "I know it's only been a few months, but we've known each other for years and I think we're ready to take our relationship to the next step."

"Ollie, I don't want you to do this as a reaction to Bruce's—"

"I'm not doing this as a reaction to your ex-boyfriend's sudden appearance in our lives. It's something I've wanted to do for a while. I just didn't want to scare you into anything too quickly."

"I'm not scared about moving our relationship forward, but I'm also not the one who's new at being in a serious relationship. Are you sure this is what you want?"

"I've never been more sure about anything in my entire life."

"Either have I," she smiled and stroked his cheek lovingly.

"Is that a yes? Are you saying yes?" he asked her with a hint of excitement in his tone.

"Yes," the blonde happily nodded.

And with that one word, Oliver felt like the luckiest guy in the world. He lowered her back onto the bed, kissed her sweet lips, and indulged in his favorite indoor activity with the woman he loved once again.

* * *

Later that same morning, Alfred Pennyworth was serving Bruce his breakfast in his private penthouse suite. While he performed the small task, though, the faithful butler couldn't help but notice how quiet his master was being. Something was clearly on his mind and whatever it was seemed to have been plaguing his thoughts ever since his coffee date with Miss Lance.

"Something troubling you, Master Wayne?"

"I've just got a lot on my mind, that's all, Alfred."

"That much is obvious. I'm just wondering what Miss Lance said to make you act this way."

"She didn't say or do anything. It's me. Being around her again…it's intoxicating."

"You're still in love with her, aren't you? And she's moved on with someone else."

Bruce continued staring at his breakfast, saying nothing in return.

"It was bound to eventually happen. After all, a woman as beautiful and intelligent as Miss Lance isn't going to remain single for very long."

"I know I should be glad that Dinah found happiness with Oliver Queen, but every time I see her now, it's like—"

"You've been cheated somehow?"

Finally looking up at him, Bruce said, "You don't have to tell me how selfish I am for feeling this way, Alfred. I already know it."

"Yes, but recognizing that you feel sorry for yourself isn't the point, Master Wayne. I told you the day you informed me that you were breaking up with Miss Lance to go to Princeton was a mistake because you were running away from your feelings for her. You refused to follow your heart then, and now that you have seen her happy with someone else, it's made you realize what you've lost."

"Please tell me there's more to this lecture than summarizing my unhappiness."

A knock at the front door cut Alfred off from making a response. He quietly walked to the door and opened it to reveal Dinah, who was wearing a causal outfit that consisted of a light yellow tank top, black denim jeans and jacket, black flats, and a large yellow handbag.

"Alfred," she smiled upon making eye contact with him. "It's so good to finally see you. I've missed you."

"As have I, Miss Lance," he grinned and embraced her in a friendly hug. "It's wonderful to see you again after all these years. You look more beautiful than ever."

"Oh, Alfred, stop," the blonde blushed in embarrassment.

"Well, I assume you came here to pay Master Wayne a visit. Please come in and make yourself at home."

"Thank you," Dinah nodded in appreciation and walked into the luxurious suite to find the handsome billionaire wearing a black bathrobe, rising up from his breakfast at the dining table to say hello.

"There's no need to get up on my account, Bruce. We're friends, not foreign diplomats standing on ceremony."

"It's great to see you, Di," he greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "I wish you had called ahead and told me you were coming, though. We would've had room service bring up more food."

"No, I'm fine. I ate before I came over. I was actually hoping to talk to you about something in private, if you have the time. It's important."

"Yeah, of course," he nodded, caressing her arm before turning his attention to the man whom he considered a second father. "Alfred, would you mind giving us a few minutes alone to talk?"

"Not at all, Master Wayne. I have a few things I need to take care of downstairs anyway."

Bruce mouthed a silent 'thank you' to his butler, watched him exit the penthouse, and then motioned for Dinah to join him on the red velvet couch in the sitting area.

"So what's on your mind? Is everything all right?"

"Ollie asked me to move in with him this morning and I said yes."

"You're moving in with him? That's definitely newsworthy. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks. I wanted you to be the first person I told because—despite what he says—I think you being here is part of the reason he wanted us to take our relationship to the next step."

"Me? Was it something I said?"

"No, it wasn't anything you said. Ollie just put on his detective cap and figured out that we used to be more than friends once upon a time."

"You never told him that we dated for a year in college?"

"Because I knew he would erupt like a volcano and that's exactly what he did."

"How?"

"He had the gall to tell me that you still have feelings for me, and the only reason you came here was to win me back."

It took every single ounce of Bruce's inner strength to conceal the pained look of disappointment he was feeling and act natural. "But you set the record straight, right? You told him that we're only friends now."

"Required some poking and prodding, but he finally raised the white flag. I think Ollie accepts that there's only friendship between us now, but I doubt that means he's going to let his guard down."

"Thanks for the warning," he chuckled, "yet something tells me there's more to this visit than your big announcement that you're moving in with Star City's very own Richie Rich."

"You always did know me so well, Bats," she sighed.

Lifting her chin up with his index finger so their eyes would meet, he said, "I'd like to think it's one of the reasons why we've managed to remain such good friends all these years."

"I need your help."

"With what, Di? You know I'll do anything for you."

"Well, before I go into detail," she smiled while walking over to the sliding glass door that leads out to the balcony and opening it, "there's someone I want to introduce you to first."

Just then Helena Bertinelli came out of nowhere, dressed in her black and purple leather Huntress costume.

"Hey there, Bats. Heard you've been out of the game for a while, so I hope you're ready to jump back in with the big girls."


End file.
